"John, we've all read your previous report, and it's very interesting. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 "Examiner" Roosevelt pointed to a stack of reports on the table and spoke first.

"What do you mean?" John didn't understand.

"The part about the Nazi threat." Roosevelt said, "Others either condemned them for persecuting the Jews or advocated using them to contain the Soviet Union, but you pointed out that the Nazis were a threat to the free world." ”

"In the long run, the Nazis will eventually be our enemies." John was quite sure that it was impossible for the United States and the German Nazis to coexist peacefully. Not because it comes from the memories of past lives, but because the policies of the Nazis fundamentally threatened the foundations of the liberal capitalist system.

"yes, but most people don't realize it yet." Roosevelt nodded, "They don't like fascism, but they hate war even more." The isolationists were eager to take America back to before World War I, and the other day there was an advocacy in Congress for the disbandment of the military and the retention of only state militias. ”

"Our world is getting smaller with technology. Two oceans do not shelter the United States permanently. This room is full of famous "main war factions" in history, and John certainly knows what to say, "We cannot allow fascism to spread unchecked, which is not in the interests of the United States." ”

Roosevelt nodded, as if to signal something to the other bigwigs in the room. Stimson replaced him and said: "You are well aware of the current international situation, and we must be prepared to respond to the changing situation. But recently, Hearst (William Randolph Hearst, American media mogul, yellow journalism mogul, the prototype of the movie "Citizen Kane") is agitating isolationists from both parties to form a joint committee, which has caused us a lot of trouble in Congress. ”

John still has a little understanding of the current situation in the US Congress. Thanks to last year's recession, the Republican Party finally regained 75 seats in the House of Representatives in the midterm elections, successfully reversing the decline since 1928.

Although it was still a minority in Congress, this time the Republican Party won the support of many conservative Democrats from the South, forming a conservative coalition against Roosevelt in Congress. Now, this force has succeeded in swaying Congress, causing Roosevelt a lot of trouble.

Under these circumstances, Roosevelt could only be extremely cautious in dealing with the issue of isolationism, and did not dare to go beyond the thunder pool. In May, Congress reluctantly passed the Vincennes Expansion Act, which allowed $1 billion to develop the navy. But this is already the limit of the ability of these "main battle faction" bigwigs in the house, and it is not realistic to further break through the "Neutrality Law" for the time being.

John was a little puzzled, what did these bigwigs want him to do? He knows that on the issue of dealing with fascism, there are serious splits within the Democratic and Republican parties, and both factions are engaged in collusion, but what does this have to do with him? He's not a member of Congress, and the pro-war faction can't win him over.

At this point, Donovan spoke: "Hearst and they are going to form a lobbying organization called America First, chaired by General Robert Wood (the head of logistics for the American Expeditionary Force during World War I, who retired as chairman of Sears), and General Hugh Johnson joined them. ”

General Robert Wood, who doesn't know he's a hard-line conservative. But John was startled when he heard the name Hugh Johnson.

Hugh Johnson was a prominent figure in Roosevelt's think tank. In the early years of Roosevelt's New Deal in 1933, he served as director of the National Recovery Administration, and was the hottest political star in Roosevelt's administration. I didn't expect that now, he would stand on the opposite side of Roosevelt.

While John was still secretly frightened, Donovan continued: "Senators Gerald Nye (chairman of the U.S. Congressional Arms Trade Investigation Committee, Republican), Senator Burton Wheeler (opposition leader in the Democratic Party), and Henry Ford and Lindbergh have confirmed that they have joined America First. ”

Listen, these people, coupled with Hearst, the media tycoon who controls most of the Democratic Party's propaganda channels, is no wonder that the gang of "main battle faction" bigwigs in the house have a headache.

"So, gentlemen, what do you need me to do?" John couldn't think of any help he could do to a "little man" like himself.

"We are also going to form a Fight for Freedom Committee, and Stimson and Donovan have recommended to the President that you be the spokesperson for the committee." Hopkins answered the question in Roosevelt's place.

Now it was John's turn to have a headache, and he was quickly using his shallow political knowledge to digest the information he had just received.

For now, John's understanding of the matter is that the Republican Party first co-opted the Democrats who supported isolationism and pushed Roosevelt into a corner in Congress. Then Stimson, the anti-isolationist Republicans, came to warm up with Roosevelt.

But compared with Roosevelt's supporters, Stimson and his people are few after all, and they seem a little too weak. If the win-win cooperation is not done well, it will become a parasitic fence. So Stimson and they took a fancy to John, who was both a Republican and an anti-Nazi party, and had a certain reputation among the people, and wanted to pull him in to strengthen his momentum.

It just so happened that whether it was the previous incident of the Volunteer Air Force to aid China or the report on the European investigation, Roosevelt left a good impression on John. As a result, there was today's "interview" with John by the bigwigs of the main battle factions of the Democratic and Republican parties.

Joining the "Fight for Freedom Committee", John certainly had no problem. He was originally anti-isolationist. Although I feel that it is a bit early to make my position public, it is not unacceptable.

Although isolationism still prevails, John knows that he is on the side of ultimate victory. Even if you are wronged in the short term, it is nothing, and you have to invest in politics. This can be regarded as a "charcoal in the snow".

The key is the position of spokesperson, which makes John a little big. Is it because of his previous speech in the Congress, which left the impression that these bigwigs can speak well? I knew that I wouldn't have let William work so hard to help him promote it in the first place.

John's resistance to this position is mainly because he knows that his big brother, Lindbergh, has historically served as a spokesman for the "America First" committee. Will it be impossible to quarrel with Lindbergh in the media every day in the future?

John's hesitation was noticed by the bigwigs in the room. Knox, who had a fiery temper, was about to speak as soon as his eyes widened. Stimson stopped him and asked gently, "Little John, do you have any concerns?" ”

Even if Stimson showed the tone of treating the younger generation, John didn't dare to climb up the pole. A "rookie sailor" like him, it's good if people can allow you to "get on board", how can you be qualified to pick fat and thin.

"No, I'd love to join. I am worried that I am inexperienced and will not be able to do the job of spokesperson. John replied hurriedly. I don't have to think about it much now, I just promise to come down first, and then find an opportunity to change positions in the future.

"What's there to worry about, just find a few more experienced copywriters." Stimson's words are very reasonable, in this era, there was no live TV or Internet broadcast, and even Roosevelt's fireside chat had to be edited through recordings. The so-called spokesperson's requirements for eloquence and adaptability are not as high as those of later generations.

Eventually, with Roosevelt's bidding, John passed the interview and became the spokesman for the "Fight for Liberty Committee" that was still in the pipeline.

As he left the office, John felt that there was something he had not figured out, and he decided to visit Uncle Stimson in the evening. Since people have already put on the appearance of elders, then why not go back to the juniors last year and come to the door to ask for advice.