Make France Great Again
Chapter 225: Embezzling State-Owned Assets?

Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Embezzling State-Owned Assets?

After determining the model of the rifles to be used by the army for the next decade, Jerome Bonaparte was about to start the phased handling of the MLE1842 rifles in the military warehouse and in the hands of the army when a sudden report interrupted his progress. Valerovsky informed Jerome Bonaparte: news came that the leader of the Saint-Etienne State-Owned Arsenal wishes to meet him.

"Saint-Etienne State-Owned Factory?" Jerome Bonaparte recalled information about the Saint-Etienne State-Owned Arsenal in his mind, then asked Valerovsky: "I remember this seems to be an arsenal in Loire Province!"

"That’s right!" Valerovsky, who had previously familiarized himself with the Saint-Etienne State-Owned Arsenal’s information, immediately explained to Jerome Bonaparte the history of the Saint-Etienne State-Owned Arsenal and emphasized that this state-owned arsenal, which originally specialized in supplying firearms, had a large number of qualified workers.

Now, due to issues with the Ministry of War, the workers at the factory might face unemployment.

"Unemployment? Why unemployment?" Jerome Bonaparte was stunned for a few seconds.

Whether in the past or now, he inherently detested the word unemployment.

Unemployment implies political instability, and political instability means his rule will face serious threats.

Some unemployed workers are easily swayed to oppose him by certain individuals.

Valerovsky then proceeded to explain the situation to Jerome Bonaparte.

As it turns out, Jerome Bonaparte was the instigator of all this.

After Jerome Bonaparte forcibly intervened in the army’s rifle model using presidential power, the Ministry of War quickly obeyed the president’s order and began taking action.

In late May, the military affairs bureau of the Ministry of War issued invitations under the name of bidding to the Northern Industrial Group, located in the suburbs of Paris, and a number of accompanying runners.

Foreseeing the development of events, Bashirio swiftly organized personnel to participate in the Ministry of War’s bidding, and also "considerately" informed the accompanying runners, eventually securing the Ministry of War’s order with Bashirio’s Minie Gun.

The Ministry of War’s swift actions left several munitions companies that originally supplied the military somewhat unprepared. Before these munitions companies could use their connections to find out the reasons, the Ministry of War preemptively announced the reasons for the bidding to the public.

Due to serious quality issues with rifles produced by the Saint-Etienne Arsenal and a few other arsenals, as well as unsatisfactory rifle quality and range to meet soldiers’ needs, the Ministry of War decided not to select them as suppliers for the military anymore.

The Ministry of War’s statement caused the original suppliers of the military to erupt instantly, and the chain reaction from the statement also affected the Paris Stock Exchange.

Out of distrust for several munitions enterprises, the investors hastily sold their stocks, causing the stocks of several munitions enterprises to plummet.

If not for the intervention of bankers behind the munitions enterprises, the companies would have faced the risk of instant bankruptcy.

Afterwards, they also inquired from "insiders" within the Ministry of War about the reasons for their exclusion, only receiving the response, "Don’t ask what shouldn’t be asked."

After roughly guessing the reasons behind the Ministry of War, these bankers retreated.

For these bankers, the value of military enterprises is far less than that of banks, and it’s not worth becoming enemies for meager profits.

While other private enterprises can retreat, state-owned arsenals like Saint Etienne cannot retreat. If they do, the workers of the entire enterprise will have no livelihood.

From the leadership to the workers, everyone wants an explanation. After painstakingly obtaining the information from the Ministry of War to "go to the Elysee Palace, where you will find what you want to know," they rushed to the Elysee Palace.

Fortunately, President Jerome Bonaparte likes to cultivate a populist image, occasionally receiving some civilians at the Elysee Palace, and Valerovsky himself harbors a bit of sympathy for civilians, or else the workers of the Saint Eanty State-Owned Factory wouldn’t even think about entering the door.

"Then let their management come and call me!" Jerome Bonaparte ordered Valerovsky.

"Yes!" Valerovsky responded.

Under Valerovsky’s arrangement, the director of the Saint-Etienne State-Owned Arsenal met with Jerome Bonaparte.

Looking at the wrinkled, rough-handed director in front of him, with a faint scar on one of his hands, Jerome Bonaparte thought of the leadership of state-owned enterprises in the 1960s and 1970s. At that time, they were not management who avoided manual labor but were practitioners.

Thinking of this, Jerome Bonaparte showed a gentle smile, reached out his hand, and said to the director of the Saint-Etienne Arsenal: "Welcome to the Elysee Palace!"

In the face of Jerome Bonaparte’s "enthusiasm," the director’s elderly face revealed fear and reverence, and he hesitantly extended his hand.

"Mr. President, please, save the workers at the factory! We cannot lose this order," the director pleaded with Jerome Bonaparte in a beseeching tone.

"Oh?" Jerome Bonaparte looked at the factory director with feigned surprise and said, "What happened at your factory? Someone vandalized the machines?"

"No... not at all!" The honest director recounted the ordeal at Saint Etienne to Jerome Bonaparte.

After listening, Jerome Bonaparte showed a regretful expression and said to the director of Saint Etienne, "Although I would like to offer you some help, please forgive me for being powerless; I cannot force the Ministry of War to rescind their orders!"

The director murmured, "But they told me that only you can save the Ministry of War! Our factory has always been a supporter of yours!"

Having already devised a solution, Jerome Bonaparte, after reluctantly pacing back and forth under the eager gaze of the director, said, "Although I cannot forcibly command the Ministry of War to change their orders, I can have Bashirio from the Northern Industrial Group discuss things with you. To my knowledge, this company has only recently been established, and they are not as proficient in gun manufacturing as the Saint Etienne factory. If both parties can cooperate sincerely, I believe it will be beneficial for both!"

"Mr. President, thank you very much!" The director, unaware of the truth, expressed his gratitude to Jerome Bonaparte.

Jerome Bonaparte then called Valerovsky, ordering him to "invite" Bashirio, the general manager of the Northern Industrial Company, over.

Jerome Bonaparte sat with the director of the State-Owned Arsenal, questioning him in detail about the worker’s situation, including but not limited to religion, order, and whether the workers had organized to resist the factory.

From the director’s account, Jerome Bonaparte learned that the workers generally held religious beliefs, and some were secretly uniting to resist. A thought gradually formed in Jerome Bonaparte’s mind.

Jerome Bonaparte, well-versed in history, understood that he didn’t have the power to defy the currents of history.

Even if he were to revoke the workers’ right to strike, they would still secretly choose to resist him.

Rather than allowing the workers to unite and organize strikes, it’s better to guide them into internal strife.

No one understood "struggle" better than Jerome Bonaparte.

The response measures of the Lighthouse Country in later generations inspired Jerome Bonaparte.

Nowadays, Jerome Bonaparte has already occupied the high ground of public opinion; all that remains is to capture the Guild’s high ground, and then the Empire’s concurrent struggles will be less than in history.

If a certain Great Man knew Jerome Bonaparte was practicing his "technique" in reverse, he would probably be so furious as to shoot him on the spot.

Of course, all of this only existed in the thoughts of Jerome Bonaparte.

As the saying goes, one cannot speak without investigation; Jerome Bonaparte needs to assess the situation in Paris on the ground to then proceed with reforms.

Just as Jerome Bonaparte and the factory director were "happily conversing", Valerovsky and Bashirio appeared.

"This is Bashirio!" Jerome Bonaparte introduced Bashirio to the director.

Then he introduced the director to Bashirio.

"Mr. Bashirio, the Saint Etienne Arsenal wants to cooperate with your company!" Jerome Bonaparte said, playing the role of mediator, then turned to ask the director, "Am I right?"

"Correct!" The director hurriedly responded, his heart full of gratitude towards the President.

"Mr. President, I do not believe we can independently complete the orders!" Bashirio rebutted Jerome Bonaparte "neither humble nor arrogant", saying, "Our company has skilled workers, enough to undertake a large number of projects!"

"Mr. Bashirio, for the sake of our workers, please!" The director pleaded with Bashirio.

"I am a businessman! My objective is business!" Bashirio responded "with ironclad impartiality".

The director turned his gaze to Jerome Bonaparte, hoping for his support.

"Ahem... ahem," Jerome Bonaparte cleared his throat to mediate, "I don’t think there’s any need to make things so tense. Mr. Bashirio, your company lacks skilled workers, while the Saint Etienne Arsenal has many workers, so you both have a basis for cooperation. How about this: the State-Owned Arsenal offers some shares, and the Northern Industry does the same, then you exchange worker equity, and form a new company to mediate the conflicts between you."

"But... we are a state-owned factory!" The director murmured.

"Rest assured! You will continue to be a state-owned factory! The exchange of shares is just to ensure better cooperation between you. Exchanging shares is merely for better cooperation moving forward?" Jerome Bonaparte reassured the director.

"Precisely!" Bashirio chimed in appropriately, "Honestly, you have nothing that attracts me! If it weren’t for Mr. President’s request, I would never agree to you!"