A little over a month ago, while John was still busy pushing for the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, he took time out to make a trip to New York. www.biquge.info On that occasion, he was invited by Pearl Race to participate in the anti-Japanese Chinese march in New York.

Since 1892, the rights and interests of Chinese in the United States have been restricted by the Chinese Exclusion Act (this act was not repealed until 1943, when the United States entered the war, and in 2012, the U.S. Congress formally apologized to the Chinese for this racial discrimination). Chinese are barred from naturalizing as U.S. citizens, have no equal access to jobs, and in some states do not even have the right to own land, do business, or receive education.

Most of these Chinese living in the United States can only be confined to the activities of the Chinese community, concentrated in "Chinatown", and make a living by running laundries, restaurants, grocery stores and other low-level and difficult service industries. But even so, when the motherland was invaded by Japan, these Chinese still stood up and actively publicized the atrocities of the Japanese to the American people and called on the international community to provide assistance to China.

The reason why the march was chosen as May 9 was because on May 9, 1915, China and Japan signed the "Twenty-one Articles" that humiliated the country. This day is considered to be China's "National Shame Day" and the beginning of Japan's encroachment on China.

On the day of the march, more than 1,500 Chinese laundries, restaurants and shops in Manhattan closed their doors, and owners and employees took to the streets. John remembers that more than 12,000 Chinese from all over the northeastern United States participated in the march.

Regardless of gender, young and old, rich or poor, or political position, they set out from Chinatown and walked onto the streets of Manhattan, holding banners, slogans, flags, and portraits of Chinese leaders, and shouting the slogan of "unite against Japan." John also saw floats, lion dances and drummer bands with Chinese characteristics in the procession.

In the procession, there were also 100 young Chinese women wearing cheongsam, who jointly carried a huge flag of the Republic of China 23 meters long and 14 meters wide. Although no donations were requested, many people threw coins at the flags, and some Americans who stopped by the roadside to watch generously donated money.

At that time, "international friends" such as John and Pearl Race had been following behind this giant national flag, and he was thrilled by the patriotic enthusiasm of the Chinese in the United States.

Since returning from New York that day, John has regretted not taking Ella with him, and he sincerely hopes that he can let his daughter feel the shocking patriotic enthusiasm and national cohesion. I didn't expect to meet Chinese people who raised money for China's anti-Japanese war in Lyon today.

John hugged Ella and whispered to his daughter about what was happening in China as he watched the Chinese students perform.

"Dad, those Japanese people are so bad, how can they bully Chinese children." Little Ella is a good child with compassion and a sense of justice.

"Yes, is Ella willing to help those Chinese children?" John was pleased with his daughter's performance and happily kissed her.

"Can Daddy bring them all to our house, Ella has a lot of toys to play with them." Probably because she is an only child, Ella always likes to invite other children to play at home, and when she talks about this, she dances with excitement.

"But there are so many of them that we can't live in our house." John was amused by Ella's childish words, and he took out 100 francs and put it in his daughter's hand, "Now there are many Chinese children whose homes have been robbed by the Japanese, and they have no bread to eat and no clothes to wear, are you willing to help them?" ”

"Of course I do, Ella will give them a lot of clothes and good food." Ella said, gesturing with her little hand in the air.

"Then let's put the money in the box over there, and those uncles and aunts can go and buy them clothes and good food." John walked over to the donation box with Ella in his arms and asked her to put the bill inside.

"Thank you, sir." A boy holding a donation box thanked John.

"You're welcome, China is a great country, and I have a lot of Chinese friends. I hope you will come on and drive out the Japanese as soon as possible. John deliberately answered him in very slow Chinese.

"Sir, are you French, you speak Chinese so well!" The young man was taken aback by John's "Chinese Show", and even the attention of the other two international students next to him was attracted by John.

"My name is John, and I'm American. My wife, Adele, who grew up in Lyon, is my daughter Ella. After introducing his family, John learned the old-fashioned etiquette in the TV series in his previous life, and asked, "Please ask for the surname Taifu?" ”

Everyone was amused by John's somewhat funny look. "My name is Wei Nianzu, and Mr. John can call me Xiao Wei. This is my classmates Wang Rufen and Chai Yinglong, both of whom are students of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Lyon. ”

"Aren't you students at Franco-Chinese University?" John was confused.

"We've graduated from there and are now enrolled at the University of Lyon." Wang Rufen, who has cut her short hair, is a straightforward girl.

John patted his head, he had just forgotten that the Sino-French University of Lyon is actually almost equivalent to the preparatory department of the University of Lyon, where Chinese students generally adapt to the European educational environment first, and then go to other universities in Lyon or Paris to continue their studies.

"What are you going to do with the money you're raising?" John asked a key question.

"It is mainly used to buy medicines, and now there is a shortage of medicines in China, and many wounded people cannot be effectively treated."

"How are you going to get these medicines back?"

"One of our classmates is about to return to China. Wu Zimu, come here. Wang Rufen beckoned to a boy not far away, "This is classmate Wu Zimu, he is about to leave for China, and the medicines we raise will be handed over to him to take back." ”

"Hello, sir! Thank you for your support of China! The international student named Wu Zimu walked over and bowed to John.

As soon as the fight began, John noticed him. This Wu Zimu seems to be a little older than other international students, with short hair that is very energetic, a pen in his jacket pocket, and a very calm and sophisticated appearance, at a glance, he knows that he is the leader of this group of students.

"I heard that you are going back to China soon, is it convenient for one person to bring so many things? I have some friends in Hong Kong who I can ask for help if needed. ”

John wasn't lying, and since signing an agreement with China Defense Supply Corporation to sell H1 fighter jets, he has dealt with officials in the Republic of China government. Not long ago, he also got acquainted with Song Ziliang, the "uncle of the country" and his wife Xi Manying, who came to the United States on business.

Historically, among the six siblings of the Song family, the three sisters Song Ailing, Song Qingling, Song Meiling and the eldest son Song Ziwen are more famous. The fifth Song Ziliang and the sixth Song Zi'an are a little younger and much less famous than their brothers and sisters. Most people regard them as "official eunuchs" who follow their eldest brother Song Ziwen to fish for oil and water and eat mixed rice.

However, after some contact, John found that at least Song Ziliang was not the domineering "gentleman" or the "son-in-law" who could move his mouth when he was rumored to be in the outside world. On the contrary, this "Uncle Guo", who has a thin face and does not speak much, has quite good organizational skills.

Speaking of which, Song Ziliang still has a little relationship with the Vanderbilt family. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1921, when John's cousin Alfred was the president of Vanderbilt, and the two barely had a teacher-student relationship.

After returning to China after graduating from the United States, Song Ziliang served as secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China, director of the Department of General Affairs, director of the Shanghai Junpu Bureau, director of the Bank of China, and director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Finance under the care of his brother, sister and brother-in-law. At the end of 1937, Song Ziwen succeeded Zeng Yangfu, vice minister of the Ministry of Communications and mayor of Guangzhou, as the director of the Southwest Transportation General Office.

The full name of this Southwest Transportation General Office is the "General Manager Office of the Southwest Import and Export Materials Transportation of the Military Commission", which is responsible for the import, export and transportation of all strategic materials in the Republic of China. After John's batch of supplies for the China Volunteer Air Force arrived in Hong Kong, Song Ziliang took over them.

In the early days of the Anti-Japanese War, the Chinese army's demand for weapons, ammunition and other materials increased dramatically. These imported materials were mainly imported into China through Hong Kong, which is larger in scale and has better handling equipment. However, this transport channel is not very safe. Historically, after the fall of Guangzhou in October 1938, this transport route was blocked.

Fortunately, the government of the Republic of China has also been aware of this problem, and since the beginning of this year, 150,000 migrant workers have been mobilized to start repairing the Yunnan-Burma Highway. Road transportation is not possible without trucks, and Song Ziliang's visit to the United States was to purchase heavy trucks for the Southwest Transportation General Office and to recruit skilled drivers and auto repair workers from overseas Chinese.

I don't know who said that John, a "pro-China international friend", has a good relationship with several major automobile manufacturing companies, so Song Ziliang found John and asked him to help match. John agreed very quickly, not only helping Song Ziliang get the required truck as fast as he could, but also getting a good discount for him, at least much cheaper than the Chinese officials who bought it themselves.

Song Ziliang, who was overjoyed, specially invited John to a banquet, and gave him a large amount of "intermediary fees" during the banquet. John had a pleasant chat with Song Ziliang and his wife from the "American School" at that time, and he feasted on the rare "authentic" Chinese food. As for the "intermediary fee", John did not refrain much, but after accepting it, he asked Song Ziliang to donate it to the "Alliance for the Defense of China" with Song Ziwen as the chairman and Song Qingling as the chairman.

John's move made Song Ziwen's favorability towards him almost reach the full value, if John asked him to take care of Wu Zimu, I believe he would not be resigned.

However, Wu Zimu seems to be reluctant to accept John's kindness. After a moment's hesitation, he said to John, "Thank you, but don't bother your friend, I'm not leaving Hong Kong." ”

Seeing his somewhat squeaky appearance, John immediately understood: "Are you going to Yan'an, from the Soviet Union?" ”

In other words, there are many CCP party members in the international student group in Lyon, Zhou Enlai, Zhao Shiyan, Cai Hesen, Li Lisan, and Chen Yi all "fought" at the Sino-French University of Lyon. Although as a "capitalist of all evils", John has no prejudice against CCP, he patted Wu Zimu on the shoulder: "Anyway, are they all fighting the Japanese, I wish you a smooth journey." ”