Chapter subtitle: Yes, Prime Minister!

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8:30 p.m. ET.

New York, The New York Times Editorial Board.

Carl Van Anda, a legend in the American newspaper industry, can even be said to be a name that cannot be bypassed. Because he was the one who set the example for American business newspapers.

This gentleman can be said to be born a genius to eat this bowl of rice.

In 1870, when Van Anda was a 6-year-old farmer boy in Ohio, he began pasting newspaper clippings on paper and selling them for 10 cents. At the age of 10, Van Anda built a printing press out of wooden frames, wrapped the broom handle in cloth as an ink cylinder, and printed it in discarded lead letters from the village newspaper.

He became editorial director of The New York Times in 1904 and spent 25 years there.

Even though he was already a dignified editor-in-chief, he never gave up his duties as a night editor.

In such a long tenure, his day-to-day work at The New York Times has never changed. He showed up in the newsroom at 1 p.m. and went home at 6 p.m. to eat and rest. I returned to the editing room at 10 a.m. and didn't leave until 5 a.m. the next morning when everyone else was off work. Usually he was the last to leave.

It is said that he made only three exceptions in those years.

On the evening of July 23, 1921, he made an exception, and at 8 o'clock he came to the editorial room for a meeting with a group of editors.

"What does London say?"

"Mr. Van Anda, the telegram from London confirmed the news, the British and Japanese crown princes were really kidnapped, and they were kidnapped by the Chinese."

"Damn it!"

"Mr. Van Anda, those Chinese really damn ......"

"No, I'm not talking about the Chinese, I'm saying that this time I've made Le Monde a step faster!"

"Oh, Mr. Van Anda, there is no way around it. Who made Herbert Pulitzer's daughter on the scene? ”

"I know, but I'm just unwilling......"

"Tuk, tuk, tuk."

At this time, there was a knock on the door of the conference room.

"Come in."

The person who came took a newspaper and said, "Editor-in-chief, Le Monde has issued another call." ”

"Bring it to me!"

The editor-in-chief of the New York Times took a look at it, and this time there were two articles on it.

One is about the Hibiscus Corps' success in stopping the British police attack by dropping leaflets.

The other is a detailed record of our Master Yuan's heroic but failed touching righteous deeds.

"Mr. Van Anda, are we going to call the extra mile too. Nowadays, in addition to Le Monde, other newspapers are also out of circulation. ”

"What's the use?"

Van Anda used his famous "Van Anda death ray", that is, a cold gaze at the speaker.

He waved the newspaper in his hand and said coldly: "We tell our readers in an off-the-cessation that the daughter of the editor-in-chief of Le Monde is on the spot, can she get first-hand information?" And then tomorrow it's time for them all to buy Le Monde! ”

"This ......"

The editors present looked at each other and were speechless.

As the editor-in-chief said, now being out of the list is like advertising for Le Monde.

And the legendary editor-in-chief of the New York Times was very irritated at the moment, because he vaguely felt as if he and the New York Times were missing something.

What's missing?

If our Master Yuan were here, then he, the traverser, would be able to tell Carl Van Anda what he was missing.

The three major newspapers in the UK today are The Times, the Daily Mail and The Guardian.

The four largest newspapers in the future of America are The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal.

Notice the difference between the big newspapers in the UK and the US?

BINGO！

Newspapers in the United Kingdom do not have a toponymic prefix. The River Thames may be a place name, but it doesn't just flow through London.

Newspapers in the United States, on the other hand, have names with place-name prefixes, meaning that they were all previously local newspapers.

To put it simply, this distinction is determined by three major conditions.

First, in terms of land area, the island of Britain is not at all comparable to the size of the United States. The former is only more than 200,000 square kilometers. In the United States, Virginia alone costs more than 110,000 square kilometers.

Obviously, small countries don't need many local newspapers.

Second, as the world's first industrialized country, Britain had Royal Mail as early as the 16th century, and by the end of the 19th century, the British rail network had basically covered the entire country.

It is also clear that the convenient transportation and perfect postal system are conducive to the distribution of national newspapers.

Third, the British are more concerned about national affairs than the Americans. Because Britain has long been a nation-state, and the United States is still in the formative period of a nation-state at this time, and the American nation has not really taken shape.

Even a hundred years later, the Yankees don't care much about international news and national events, especially those farmers who basically only have their own one-third of an acre in their eyes...... That 1,300 acres of land.

However, the American nation will eventually take shape, and the American people will need some national newspapers after all.

Being the largest city in the United States, New York's newspapers are in a unique position. So in the future, two of the big four newspapers came out of New York, and the Washington Post was on the East Coast.

Carl van Anda is already vaguely aware of this, and Le Monde, which has stolen the limelight this time, is likely to ...... No, it will definitely be the worst enemy of the New York Times.

At this time, another staff member hurriedly walked into the conference room and asked, "Gentlemen, have you listened to the radio?" ”

"Broadcasting?"

"yes, radio." The staff member turned on the radio in the conference room.

"Listeners, this is NYPR. Here's a new message from Le Monde's Emma Pulitzer......"

Now that Le Monde is in the limelight, it is natural that New York Public Radio will become popular.

Don't forget, these two companies are now working in the same building.

Hearing the radio, the face of the American newspaper legend was a little ugly.

At this time, he had confirmed that just as the sinking of the Titanic created the rise of the New York Times, the "723 Incident" would make Le Monde and NYPR catch up.

"Fat!"

"What did you say, Mr. Van Anda?"

"I said we're going to call the numbers too!"

However, he was worthy of being a natural newspaperman, and immediately thought of a new idea: "We must first send reporters to interview the Chinese and the Japanese and ask them what they think." By the way, we also want to popularize the origin of the Shandong problem......"

Almost at the same time. Washington, White House.

"Whoa...... Whoa......"

"Mahjong is really fun, but it's a little bit of a hassle to shuffle the cards."

"Mr. President, I heard that Mr. Tesla has invented a Tesla mahjong machine that can automatically shuffle cards, why don't you install one in the White House?"

"That's a great idea......

That's a really good idea!

Maybe this can become a big symbol of friendship between China and the United States, just like the table tennis ball on the original timeline.

I just don't know what kind of expression the Seris people who visit the White House in the future will look like when they see an automatic mahjong machine in this timeline.

Is it Saturday night, and what else can President Warren Harding play mahjong without playing mahjong with the "mahjong cabinet"? Oh, it looks like you can still play......

Just as they were in the middle of the fight, a White House staff member came in and announced, "Mr. President, Secretary of State Hughes is asking to see you." ”

"What is he doing at this late hour?" President Harding stood up with some reluctance and said, "Okay, I'll go meet him." ”

"Charles, is there anything urgent?"

The secretary of state of the United States, with a strange expression on his face, handed over a telegram and said, "Mr. President, there has just been a message from London. ”

"Oh, London? What will be the urgent news in London......"

President Harding took it and looked at it, and said with a smile: "Well, really? Do the British eat dry rice, this kind of thing actually happened! ”

After reading a few words, he frowned and said, "Ah, our minister and several other American citizens have also been ...... Neo was injured by them. It's really, it's really, it's really......"

“…… That's true! In the end, he still didn't know how to express his feelings, so he had to ask, "Charles, so what should we do?" ”

Charles-Evans-Hughes had already had a case in mind and immediately replied: "Mr. President, I think at this stage we should issue a statement to express our grave concern. ”

President Harding is just soft-hearted and not a pure political idiot.

He reminded: "And I want to say to the British, make sure that we American citizens are ...... By the way, and Neo Yuan's personal safety. ”

“STOP！”

When the Metropolitan Police Department heard this, he looked back and saw an acquaintance.

"Sir Epby, how did you get here?"

It turned out that the man's name was Sir Humphrey Appleby, who was the Prime Minister's Chief Secretary.

So, naturally, these two know each other (note 1)

At first glance, the secretary who felt very clever (oily) and agile (slippery) looked at the reporters around him, and hurriedly stepped forward and said in a low voice: "Sir, the prime minister is here." He asked you to meet him. ”

Then in a car not far away, Sir Holmwood met the iron-faced British Prime Minister, Earl David Lloyd's George.

"Your Excellency, why are you here?"

Prime Minister George, who had a square face, a mustache, thick eyebrows, sharp eyes, and a majestic appearance, snorted coldly: "Sir, I'm not coming, do you want Your Majesty to come in person?" ”

"I—I certainly didn't mean that. Your Majesty, Your Majesty, do you know about it......"

"Nonsense, of course Your Majesty knows. And it was he who informed me! ”

The British Prime Minister is really eager to shoot this waste directly, but just like his own secretary suggested before, who will take the blame if this guy is killed at this time?

He asked angrily, "Sir." Stop talking nonsense. I heard you're going to attack the legation? ”

"Yes, Your Excellency." Sir Holmwood perked up and said, "I think the kidnappers are not on their feet, and they should seize this opportunity......

"Stupid!" The Prime Minister said angrily, "People are coming with mortars, and what are you saying that you are not on a stable footing?!" ”

"Not to mention the two Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince, there are also two cabinet ministers and so many foreign envoys. It's a big deal to die a single one. Do you want to go court-martialed? ”

Although the Superintendent is not an active soldier, there are certain special circumstances in which the reserve can go to court-martial. It's definitely a "special case" right now.

"So, what are we going to do?"

"Shallow!" The Prime Minister was even more angry, "What should we do?" Of course it is, of course it is, of course it is ......"

Rao is a veteran politician in the political arena, and he is also the meritorious prime minister who led the British Empire to defeat Erdezi, but at this time he is also numb.

"Your Excellency, our top priority is to appease the Japanese side." The nimble-brained little man interjected in time.

When Prime Minister George heard this, he immediately nodded and said, "That's right, go and find the Japanese diplomats, and I want to apologize to them in person." ”

Sir Halwood bowed his head and ordered, "Yes, Prime Minister." ”

The Prime Minister's Secretary then came up with the idea: "Then we have to have a good 'exchange' with the Chinese Minister Gu." ”

"That's right, go find that Minister Gu."

"Yes, Prime Minister."

In the end, the Superintendent couldn't help but ask, "Your Excellency, the people in the legation, especially the two Highnesses......

"...... them"

Humphrey had no choice but to do his duty again, and he pointed to the leaflet on the ground and said, "Didn't these people say they were going to make a statement tomorrow morning, why don't we wait?" ”

Bureaucrats, procrastination is exactly what they do best.

So the three top British bureaucrats looked at each other and all nodded......

Of course, Gu Weijun didn't leave here, and he couldn't leave here. Because he's a Seris.

However, he finally asked the police to send his wife Huang Huilan back to the legation.

And when he was "invited" by the governor to the prime minister, he was greeted with a very polite apology to the representative of the Japanese diplomat.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I personally sent a telegram to His Majesty the Emperor to apologize......"

It's just that the Prime Minister, who was apologetic just now, saw Gu Weijun and instantly changed to a domineering look.

I only heard him say substantially: "Your Excellency, what is going on? Do you Chinese want to undermine stability in the Far East? (Author's note: Your Excellency here is Your Excellency, which is often used to refer to ministers and ambassadors in modern times.)

When poor Gu Weijun heard this, he immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He didn't care about wiping it, and hurriedly opened his mouth to defend: "Your Excellency, I guarantee that this matter has nothing to do with our government at all!" ”

"You promise?" Prime Minister Lloyd sneered and said, "What guarantee do you use? ”

"I, I, I ......" Gu Weijun, China's top diplomat at the time, could not answer this question.

The British Prime Minister waved his hand and said, "Your Excellency, we don't talk nonsense anymore. I now 'please' you immediately inform the Chinese Government and 'please' them to issue an official statement not only to dissociate themselves from this matter......"

"Your Excellency, on behalf of my Government, I thank you."

Although Gu Weijun knew that this 'please' was actually a "request...... Well, more precisely, "command". However, people say this and do not want to implicate the Chinese government in the "723 incident". Therefore, his words of gratitude are genuine.

Prime Minister Lloyd said impatiently: "I haven't finished yet, please don't interrupt me." In that statement, we also strongly condemn this ......"

Humphrey on the side reminded, "Hibiscus Legion." ”

"That's right, Hibiscus Legion. It is to strongly condemn them! ”

"This ......"

Gu Weijun, who was embarrassed, knew very well in his heart that there would be many, many things that the Hibiscus Army did in China...... Many, many, many people applauded. Once the Beijing government strongly condemns it, it will be tantamount to taking the initiative to put a "traitor" label on its head.

"What's wrong with this?"

Gu Weijun also knew that the situation was stronger than people, so he had to say with a bitter face: "No, no problem." ”

"Well, Your Excellency, please inform the Chinese government as soon as possible. We're here to help. ”

"Yes, Prime Minister."

If the mastermind of the "723 Incident" stood in front of Gu Weijun at this time, he would have eaten the other party's heart raw!

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Note 1: Author's note: When I wrote about the UK, it was a bit of a pity not to let Comrade Xiaohan show a little face.

In addition, who hasn't watched the drama "Yes, Minister/Prime Minister" should really watch it.

This is not a recommendation, but to say that if you can only watch one British and American drama in your life, then you should watch this one.

Murong thinks that when we Ceris people can shoot "Okay, Secretary", our Ceris film and television art will definitely ......

Hey, that's all I have to think about.