The banquet has begun, and the pleasant dance music stimulates people's dancing mood. Many young girls and boys are dancing. However, this occasion does not belong to country bumpkins like Sheffield, it is just a usual dance. The Secretary of State and his entourage were also invited to participate.

part of human beings.

After the magnificent hall, that is where the real decisions are made. The Prime Minister of the German Empire and Prussian Chancellor Hohenlohe Schillingsfest held his head with both hands, and everything in front of him was still a bit tense. His daily life was in

During the tense period, the prime ministers of the German Empire can be divided into two types, one is Bismarck, and the other is others.

This is especially true after Wilhelm II became the Emperor of the German Empire. There will no longer be a strong prime minister like Bismarck. But the political environment of the German Empire is destined to have a strongman again. It is very simple. This strongman must be personally served by His Majesty the Emperor.

, Hohenlohe-Schillingsfest is in this awkward situation.

Although the German Empire has been unified for a long time, it can still be regarded as an alliance of common monarchs in a sense. It is just not as exaggerated as the alliance of common monarchs like the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is not easy to balance the interests of the royal family, Junkers and capitalists in various parts of the country. Although it is not

Not everywhere like Bavaria there is an army.

One of the issues that has been frequently mentioned in recent years is tariffs. Like the United States of America, the German Empire has been in a stage of catching up in recent decades. The natural way to do this is to raise tariffs behind closed doors. The problem is that raising tariffs will inevitably lead to retaliation and fall into

In the midst of mutually raising tariffs.

Now that the development of the German Empire has been considered satisfactory, more and more voices in the Ruhr area are very dissatisfied with this tariff, because they need to bear the retaliation for raising tariffs. If you want to go further, you must find a larger market, but

If the empire maintained such high tariffs, how could they go to other markets?

"High tariffs are no longer appropriate. What is the point of this situation now? Protecting East Prussia's agricultural products? But we still have to import food, because those manors cannot meet the national demand. What is the point of protecting it like this? High tariffs have been criticized

Retaliation makes German exports uncompetitive. For the development of the country, the eastern estates must be restrained, and high tariffs must become history."

The person who spoke again was a heavyweight, August Thyssen, president of Thyssen Associates. August Thyssen looked at the people opposite him with bright eyes. He had already expressed his concern for the high-tariff environment.

There is dissatisfaction.

Because of the tariff issue, Thyssen-Union has been severely hit. Traditionally, the Russian Empire has been the traditional market for German exports, and exports account for 30% of Thyssen-Union. The reason why most people in the Ruhr area agreed at the beginning

As for the tariff policy, that was because Britain occupied a large domestic market at that time, and the losses from Russia could be made up domestically. But now it is a different situation, and tariffs have become a focus of debate between the two sides.

"August is right, we cannot be blocked at the national gate." At this time, another representative of the Ruhr area spoke, it was Alfred Krupp who was still in Essen a few days ago.

Hohenlohe-Schillingsfest looked at the two people and the people behind them who did not speak but had the same expression. They represented more than two hundred and sixty cartel companies, three hundred coal mines and coal fields, two

There are hundreds of mines and mining areas, fifty transportation companies, more than one hundred power plants, more than two hundred banks and trading companies, and thousands of factories, mines and corporate entities.

Coal mines, steel, cement and machinery, they all account for more than half of Germany's domestic share. Thyssen and Krupp are not friends at all, but they have the same position on this matter.

"Friends in the Ruhr area, you should know how important food security is to a country, especially in an environment like ours where there are many unfriendly countries around us. We must ensure that the German people's food is not affected by external impacts."

"I think the best way to avoid shocks is to improve production capacity and ensure food self-sufficiency before we talk about whether we have been hit. In fact, the country imports food every year, and you can't do this. You keep saying it's for the sake of national security.

, but it cannot meet the needs of the entire German people, what does this mean? This is just protecting food security, but I don’t see it.”

"We need a broader market, rather than being locked in the country, understand? It's also in the agricultural field, and the manor owners in our country obviously don't have a far-sighted view as the country bumpkins they call us."

"Did you take money from Americans? Why do you speak for those country bumpkins?" A group of people on the opposite side started to accuse, seeming to doubt Thyssen, Krupp and others' loyalty to the country.

"The environment abroad is not what you imagine. Can you show your aristocratic status and people will pay obediently? Trade is reciprocal. Can you think with your stubborn heads that are harder than steel plates?

A thought?"

Both sides began to accuse each other of selfishness, and the two sides had an irreconcilable conflict over their understanding of tariffs.

"They are engaged in agriculture, and you are also engaged in agriculture. Why can't you guarantee food for all Germans? Since you can't do it, it's all imports anyway, so why not let others help you."

"Our United States now at least has more purchasing power than the Russians. It depends on the ideas of those in the Ruhr area whether they can have an advantage over those rural Junkers." Sheffield poured a glass of champagne for Russell Kanter, the secretary of state's staff.

He bumped into the other person and said, "I hope everything goes well."

"What if the Germans don't give up the benefits? Now the United States hopes to get German support for Venezuela." Russell Kanter thought with some distress, "I heard that Germany also has many spokesmen for manor owners."

"Then what are we talking about? What do we owe the Germans? We want to make money but are unwilling to contribute. What do you mean by slowly wasting time? Waiting to take advantage at the negotiation table?" Sheffield curled his lips and commented, "Holy shit.

, it’s their turn to have such good things happen, let’s go find the British.”

After seeing off the Secretary of State's staff, Sheffield drank champagne and asked someone to call John Connor over. "Find me a newspaper with a large circulation but not very political color, and ask the people from the London Company to

Spend some money to humiliate and humiliate the United States in newspapers, and even better, a couple of caricatures."

"Master, what is this?" John Connor looked at Sheffield strangely, what is he doing? Scolding himself?
Chapter completed!