Act 64 American Veteran

Antonio explained: "The so-called B-level treatment is a house and a basic annual salary of $600. You can get a bonus of $0 to $500 based on the good work performance. If you use Freddy's skills, you will probably have a bonus of $400 or more, then you can earn $1,000 in one year! As for that house, if you join the Chinese nationality, you will be given directly to you, but if you don't join, you can only live for 5 years. In addition, don't try to join the Chinese nationality first and then transfer back to the United States. There are corresponding terms on the contract terms, and there will be a sky-high liquidated damages after violations."

$1,000! Freddy couldn't help swallowing. This number was high even before the economic crisis. It was even more valuable in this period of economic collapse, not to mention that he would give you a house! If it is really as Antonio said, China is indeed a place to consider. As for the nationality issue he mentioned, it doesn't matter to him. Anyway, his father is an immigrant, and at worst he can immigrate again.

But the question is, is it really safe to go to China? Maybe Antonio was just lucky. He remembered that when he was young, people kept saying that it was messy there.

Seeing Freddy's expression, Antonio, who knew him very well, knew that he must have been hesitating again, but he did not say anything else, but took out a pen from his pocket and wrote down an address on the napkin and handed it to Freddy.

"I will live here this month. If you want to go to China, you can come to me and I can give you some help."

Freddy did not refuse, and he took the napkin.

“No. 109 Kinmen Street…”

Just as Freddy looked at the address on the napkin, the waiter had already walked to their table with a delicious steak.

"Haha, the delicious steak is here, let's have a meal." Antonio said with a smile when he saw the fragrant steak being served, while Freddy on the opposite side was already hungry and thirsty. When he looked at the steak with his eyes, he had already emitted green light.

A few minutes later, Antonio was still slowly cutting the steak on his plate, while Freddy on the opposite side had already wiped out all the beef on his plate, and even other dishes were all in his mouth.

"This meal reminds me of the days when I fought against the Germans in Europe in the World War..." After sweeping away the food on the table, Freddy burped and said happily, "Eliminating the food is like eliminating the Germans, but the steak is much cuter than the Germans."

Antonio smiled, took out a hundred dollars from his pocket and handed them to Freddy, and said, "There are one hundred dollars here. Take them and use them first, and wait until you have money before returning them to me."

Freddy's face turned red in an instant. Looking at the hundred dollars in front of him, he shouted: "No...no need! I will get $500 right away! Yes, I will get it right away! I don't have to lend you money, really no need!"

As he said that, Freddy took out a bond from his pocket: "Look, it's this, the Venetian bonus voucher, it's $500 promised by the government, and soon the government will cash it!"

Antonio smiled and said, "I know, you are a patriotic veteran in World War I. The government has subsidies, but wouldn't it be better if you return the 100 US dollars to me after getting the 500 US dollars? So, you should use the money first. You helped me so much before, and now I should help you once or twice."

After saying that, Antonio wiped his mouth and stood up to check out. As for the one hundred dollars, he stayed in front of Freddy.

He looked up at Antonio who was checking out. He seemed to have not paid attention to his side. Freddy quickly grabbed the money and stuffed it into his pocket.

"Remember, if you want to go to China, you must come to me." Before leaving, Antonio still reminded Freddy.

After breaking up with Antonio, Freddy, who had a good meal, decided to go back to his current residence. Although Antonio said that Qiongya was very good, he was not ready to leave immediately. First, he was still worried. After all, it was a backward country in rumors and was so far from the United States, so it was natural to stir up a heart. Secondly, he did not forget his purpose of coming to Washington. Applying for a job was just a way to go. His real purpose was to ask the 500 US dollars from the government.

In 1924, the US Congress passed a bill that in order to compensate veterans who contributed to the country, they had to compensate veterans in World War I for hundreds of dollars. However, considering the huge number of veterans, the total amount of tens of millions of dollars would obviously put huge financial pressure on the US government. Therefore, the US government stipulated that the Voters bonuses they issued would not be redeemed until 1945.

In the 20s when the US economy was frantically bouncing bubbles, although this money was equivalent to the income of many people a year or even two years, no one wanted to collect the money in advance when the economy was in good condition.

But this situation only lasted until 29 years. After the economic crisis broke out, many veterans became penniless. For a large number of unemployed and demobilized soldiers, this amount of money equivalent to their salary income for one or two years is extremely valuable. If we really wait until 1945 according to regulations, wouldn’t it become a castle in the air? According to the veterans, it was a "tombstone bonus", because many of them were worried that they could not survive the economic crisis, and they would probably be able to get that money after starving to death. If this is not a "tombstone bonus", what is it?

So, in 32 years, about 25,000 veterans came to Washington with their families and settled in parks, garbage dumps and dilapidated warehouses. After that, they often blocked the door of Congress to demonstrate and march, requiring the government to exchange the compensation of veterans that each person could receive about $500 in advance. Only with this money can these penniless veterans continue to survive.

For those veterans, the compensation is very important, and for the same is true for the US government. Even in the 1920s, when the US government was in good financial situation, they felt that the amount of the compensation was too huge and unwilling to pay it immediately, and stipulated that it would take 45 years to receive it. Now that the 32-year-old economic crisis is at its coldest winter, how could the US government, which has almost collapsed, be able to fulfill this total amount to even deal with the huge bonus of Roosevelt's investment in infrastructure construction throughout the year?

Not to mention that Hoover can't take out the money now, he won't give it even if he can! No matter who is in the position of president, Hoover won't do it, and even his rival Roosevelt strongly opposed it in Congress discussions, so no matter how these veterans protest, they are destined to be unable to get the money.

But for a person who only has a few dollars left in his pocket and has no penny in his passbook, what would he do with a national debt of up to 30,000 or 40,000 in his pocket? He must have tried to cash it through the difficulties, although it has not yet expired. But the problem is that this bond is only valid for the current holders themselves, so it cannot be bought and sold at all. Only the only one who can cash it out is Zhengfu. Therefore, in order to get this money, veterans can only put pressure on Zhengfu through demonstrations. This is also the purpose of Freddy coming to Washington. He firmly believes that the American political affairs that believe in freedom and democracy will say to them who have dedicated their youth and even health for the country.

"Hey, Freddy, how is your interview?"

As soon as he walked into the chaotic camp full of rags, a man in an old American military uniform greeted Freddy.

"Interview? Don't mention it. That ghost place actually requires a doctor to drive an elevator for them. It's crazy!" Seeing his friend say hello, Freddy immediately showed an angry expression. His previous interview experience was so heartbroken.

"Wow, the doctoral elevator worker? This world is really crazy!" The man whistled, and then said, "Change and change your clothes now Freddy, today's event is about to begin. If you don't hurry up, you won't be able to catch up with the team."

"Okay, I'll go change my clothes now." Freddy nodded, turned around and walked into the shack made of waste cardboard boxes and old newspapers, changed the old suit that he had specially used for interviews, put on an old military uniform, and then walked out of the shack to join the vast parade. They set off for the US Congress with the American flag and singing war songs in the army.

If it weren't for the relatives of the veterans who were caught in it, many people would have mistakenly thought that these people in military uniforms were an army heading to the battlefield.

Freddy and the others have been repeatedly protesting and demonstrating on the same route, so the police who have already figured out the rules will always strengthen the police force at the places they go. And every time the parade arrives at Congress, they will inevitably have some unpleasant physical communication with the police, because they always try to surround the members of the parliament and hope that they can listen to their demands.

Freddy and his friends are no longer surprised by those police officers standing on the route of the veterans' demonstrations and marches. They encounter this kind of scene every few days. However, today seems to be a little different from what is on weekdays. The number of police officers is obviously more than usual. This sudden change makes Freddy a little uneasy. He always has a bad premonition.
Chapter completed!