Chapter 688 Who does Mr. President’s friendship belong to
On the night he arrived in Adrianople, Alexander suffered a heart attack caused by excessive drinking and died after ineffective rescue efforts in the hospital.
In Constantinople, Alexander's death had no impact. The Constantinople Journal only published an obituary the size of a tofu block and no other reports.
The American media, who are keen on the privacy of wealthy families, have taken action to speculate on the cause of Alexander's death.
In the United States, there are only two families with a wealth of US$1 billion, one is the Dolgorukov family and the other is the Rockefellers.
Alexander is the head of the Dolgorukov family in the United States. As one of the richest men in the United States, it is impossible not to attract attention because he died in Adrianople without any explanation.
Henry Stimson, the American minister in Constantinople, rushed to Adrianople as soon as possible.
Stimson was a lawyer by training and served as Secretary of War under President William Taft. After the United States entered the war, Stimson served as chief of artillery in France. At the beginning of this year, he began to serve as the U.S. minister in Constantinople.
What surprised Stimson was that when he came to Adrianople, Alexander's body had been transported back to the family cemetery in Dolgorukov's hometown for burial.
“Although Sasha is gone, the Dolgorukov family’s business in the United States will not be affected.”
Mario received Stimson as the patriarch and made a promise to Stimson.
Stimson proposed to Mario that he wanted to meet Alexander's wife and children.
Alexander's wife and children were not in Adrianople. They followed Alexander's body back to his hometown for burial. The date of his return has not yet been determined.
"Can I meet Grand Duchess Yuryevskaya?"
Stimson is obviously more sensible than Alexander, and his posture is low enough.
"Sorry, Grand Duchess Yurievskaya doesn't see outsiders."
Mario is really not arrogant, this is a European royal tradition.
Female royal family members can only appear in public at events organized by the royal family. Their main task is to care for their husbands and raise their children.
Stimson is not angry. These old nobles in Europe are so feudal and do not keep pace with the times. No wonder they are eliminated.
Stimson doesn't care, someone is scared to death.
Alexander's two brothers-in-law, one named Tom and the other William, are both Slavs, but their names have been completely Americanized.
Relying on their business with the Dolgorukov family, Tom and William are quite wealthy. Although not as powerful as the Dolgorukov family, they can still be among the rich in the United States.
Tom's business is to supply raw materials to the Dolgorukov family's businesses.
William's main business is selling products of the Dolgorukov family.
The raw materials provided by Tom were of poor quality and shoddy, but he was able to get a steady stream of orders. This is how Tom became a millionaire.
William obtained various imported goods produced in Amur from the Dolgorukov family at the lowest prices, and also accumulated a net worth of millions.
From a pure market perspective, Tom and William's company has no competitiveness at all.
Relying on their relationship with Alexander, Tom and William were able to control the wind and rain, and became famous for a while. It can be said that one person has achieved the best portrayal of a chicken and a dog ascending to heaven.
For Tom and William, Alexander is their only source of wealth. If they lose the Dolgorukov family's business, they will be left with nothing within a few years.
With Tom and William's net worth, life is not impossible.
But it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality. Who is willing to work hard and break eight petals with a sweat bead when you can easily make money while lying down.
William was very smart. After Alexander's death, he immediately transferred the company and moved his family to South America without trace.
Tom, not knowing whether to live or die, contacted the media to build momentum and demand that the US government thoroughly investigate the cause of Alexander's death.
The richest man in the United States cannot just die in Adrianople without any explanation.
Let’s not talk about whether Alexander is the richest man in the United States.
The media's campaign really caused a huge response in the United States.
During the World War, the U.S. government mobilized Americans to join the war and aid Europe in the name of "saving Europe."
American soldiers came to Europe with a "savior" mentality. They fought bravely and solidly created a wave of goodwill for the United States in Europe.
France ordered a few days ago that all restaurants in Paris must provide the same service to everyone.
The "everyone" here refers specifically.
Just as Americans were getting angry, the richest man died suddenly in Adrianople, which immediately aroused the curiosity of all Americans.
While Europeans hate the United States, Americans also slander Europe.
Especially the so-called "secret secrets" of the European aristocracy are very popular in the United States. As long as the news is hot enough, the gossip tabloids will sell them out of stock.
In 1918, information was not developed enough, and many people did not know how powerful the Dolgorukov family was.
After careful people’s exaggeration, the Dolgorukov family has truly come to light.
At this time, Americans knew that the American automobile companies that made Americans proud all had shares in the Dolgorukov family.
The patents for alternating current and wireless telegraphy simply belong to the Dolgorukov family.
Wireless telegraphy doesn’t matter yet.
For every kilowatt hour of electricity Americans use, they have to pay a 1 cent royalty to the Dolgorukov family. The well-known joke of the 21st century, a man gives me a penny, has truly become a reality in the United States.
In addition to cars and AC, the Dolgorukov family also has investments in many fields.
Many people are surprised to find that the Dolgorukov family is involved in the fast food Americans eat, the red wine they drink, the high-end fabrics they wear, and even the cosmetics used by women.
After a so-called social investigation, the New York Times announced with a high profile that the Dolgorukov family has surpassed the president and become the real first family in the United States.
The President That's the first family.
Then the problem arises.
The US government can't even protect the patriarch of America's first family. Are Europeans so overbearing?
Stimson came to Adrianople again.
"Mr. Stimson, please respect my family's choice. They want a quiet life and do not want to be disturbed."
Poliss personally received Stimson. Although his words were very polite, Very determined attitude.
"Your Majesty the King, please forgive my abruptness, Mr. President has entrusted me to express condolences to Mrs. Dolgolu in person——"
Stimson didn't give up, and he had his own reasons.
Alexander is a member of the Dolgorukov family. Since the impact of this incident is getting bigger and bigger, Stimson cannot ignore it.
“Please convey my gratitude to Mr. President for me, and ask Mr. President a question for me: Does Mr. President’s friendship belong to my uncle himself, or to the Dolgorukov family.”
Polis is good at grasping the main contradiction.
Stimson finally stopped insisting.
The American media also stopped hyping the Dolgorukov family.
On December 20, the front page of the New York Times read: On the eve of the opening of the Paris Peace Conference, conflicts in Europe are highlighted.
Britain and France formed an alliance to counter the threat of the German-Austrian alliance.
Now that both Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire have perished, since there is no threat, the contradictions between Britain and France have begun to dominate again.
In order to maintain the balance of power in Europe, Britain does not agree to excessively weaken Germany.
French Prime Minister Clemenceau wanted to dismember Germany and completely eliminate the German threat.
Representatives from the 27 victorious countries participating in the Paris Peace Conference have arrived in Paris one after another. The ones that attract the most attention are undoubtedly Britain, France, the United States, and Russia.
As early as the end of November, British Prime Minister Lloyd George had a dispute with Clemenceau over how to punish Germany. Clemenceau slammed the door and walked out in anger, claiming to withdraw from the Paris Peace Conference.
The Paris Peace Conference was held in France. If France does not participate, the documents produced by the Paris Peace Conference will have no validity.
Lloyd George had no choice but to ask Grand Duke Nikolayevich of Russia to intervene.
Clemenceau's cry to withdraw from the meeting was completely a threat. With Nicholas Jr. coming forward, Clemenceau returned to the negotiating table.
Just after Clemenceau got angry, Nicholas Jr. was also opposed by Lloyd George.
Russia not only demanded German colonies in the Pacific, but also demanded the dismemberment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and also demanded the Jutland Peninsula.
Russia singled out the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire in the World War and took the greatest credit. It should be said that Lloyd George was mentally prepared to open his mouth to the Russian lion.
Germany's colonies in the Pacific did not matter to Lloyd George.
Lloyd George didn't care whether he dismembered the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Only in Jutland, Lloyd George firmly disagreed.
Russia’s occupation of the Jutland Peninsula will extend its influence to the North Sea and even the Atlantic Ocean. This is unacceptable to the British under any circumstances.
Little Nicholas was very angry and slapped the table and shouted to Lloyd George: "Russia can own Jutland without your consent!"
Lloyd · George couldn't suppress the brutal little Nicholas, so he joined forces with Clemenceau to put pressure on little Nicholas.
Clemenceau once again proposed the dismemberment of Germany.
Lloyd George was forced to hold his nose and agree to demilitarize the east bank of the Rhine.
Clemenceau won for a while and used the temptation of uniting Britain to lend to Russia, hoping that Russia would give up its territorial claims to the Jutland Peninsula.
Russia’s extension of its sphere of influence to the North Sea will also have an impact on France’s interests.
Little Nicholas did not expect Clemenceau to "rebellion" so quickly. He sent a telegram to George in the evening and proposed the African colony the next day.
Don’t give Jutland to Russia, right?
Well, Germany’s colonies in Africa should always be given to Russia.
Germany had two colonies in Africa, namely Southwest Africa and Tanganyika.
The two colonies have been divided up between Britain and France.
This is not yet a colonial problem. The Russian Empire has been unable to expand its sphere of influence to Africa due to the British blockade.
If the Russians are allowed to set foot in Africa, it is hard to say what will happen in the future.
(End of this chapter)