Chapter 60: Anti-Hunger March
"This is...?!"
Watching Collin appear in the projection, Natasha's inner emotions remained unchanged, though she still feigned a surprised expression on the surface.
She turned her head and exchanged a glance with Songbird, noting the stunned expression on the latter's face.
Without a doubt, Songbird had some impression of Collin from Anthony's projection. After all, the level of professionalism he had shown during their interview was far too impressive.
Natasha's emotions, however, were a little more complex, because she knew full well that Collin Roper was not a member of The Resistants.
His contact with the Dark Avengers involved some accidental elements.
For this reason, Nick Fury had specifically asked her to investigate if there were any issues with Collin's identity.
"Without a doubt, Collin Roper is a breakthrough. Regardless of whether his identity is truly that of a member of The Resistants, his contact with the Iron Avengers and the others is real."
"Therefore, our next mission, besides preparing for the potential crackdown on 'unregistered superheroes' in New York City, is to devote all our resources to tracking down the Dark Avengers and any related clues."
"At the same time, Hydra will cooperate with the Thunderbolts' actions and provide us with necessary assistance. We must root out the members of The Resistants hiding in the dark."
"Natasha, you are the best at investigation and tracking, and you've had brief contact with Collin Roper."
Saying this, Taskmaster looked at Natasha below. "Therefore, you'll be responsible for investigating Collin Roper."
"Understood."
Natasha nodded and replied calmly.
...
In the Main World, inside the Messenger Newspaper office.
Unaware that his identity had been exposed to the members of the Thunderbolts, Colin was fortunate that the task of investigating him had been given to Natasha.
He flipped through the latest newspaper of the day to catch up on recent news events.
In this era where the internet was not yet developed, newspapers were his most important channel for obtaining information.
"...On one of the coldest days of winter, harsh winds howled from the northwest. In front of the Ford factory in Dearborn, approximately 3,000 to 5,000 workers held signs that read 'Give Us Work,' 'We Want Bread, Not Crumbs,' and 'Tax the Rich, Feed the Poor,' as they launched a protest."
"The protestors intended to present 14 demands to Henry Ford, head of the Ford Motor Company, including re-employing the unemployed, funding healthcare, ending racial discrimination in hiring and promotion, providing winter fuel for the unemployed, abolishing the use of company spies and private police against workers, and granting workers the right to organize unions."
"Initially, the workers' march remained peaceful. However, conflict erupted in front of the Ford factory in Dearborn. The Dearborn police attempted to stop the protest by firing tear gas into the crowd and began beating the protestors with batons. An officer shot at the protestors, and the unarmed crowd dispersed into the stone-covered fields, picking up stones and throwing them at the police."
"The enraged protestors regrouped and advanced nearly a mile toward the factory. There, two fire trucks began spraying cold water on the protestors from an overpass, and the police and factory security opened fire on the crowd. Protestors Joe York, Coleman Leny, and Joe DeBlasio were killed, and at least 22 people were injured..."
"Seeing the gravity of the situation, the organizers decided to cancel the protest, and the workers began to retreat in an orderly fashion. However, Harry Bennett, head of the Ford Security Department, drove to the scene, opened his window, and shot at the unarmed crowd. His car was then pelted with stones by the workers, injuring Bennett. He then got out of the car and continued shooting at the retreating crowd. The police and Ford security personnel also opened fire with machine guns on the workers to cover Bennett, killing a 16-year-old boy, Joe Basel, and injuring dozens."
"Currently, according to police reports, 48 workers have been arrested, some of whom were even chained by police to their hospital beds."
The Detroit "Anti-Hunger March."
He quickly scanned the newspaper report. Reading the last line, Colin silently looked away and sighed.
Detroit, a city filled with tragedy, yet one that reaped what it sowed.
Perhaps the seeds of its future decline had already been planted at this very moment.
"A senator called for workers' wages to be cut, suggesting they should make a week's income last for a month..."
"Edgerton, Chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers, believed that paying wages would not solve the current plight of workers. He argued that worker issues should be addressed based on needs and efficiency, with basic necessities like food replacing wage payments. Edgerton also stated that he had already fulfilled his social welfare responsibilities through the church and was unable to bear any more social responsibility."
The subsequent news report, featuring the senator and Chairman Edgerton, struck Colin as inexplicably absurd.
After all, the previous article described how workers in Detroit had launched a massive protest out of hunger and poverty.
Yet the following pages brazenly featured reports suggesting workers' wages should be cut, or that they shouldn't receive wages at all.
The senator and the association chairman who uttered such words should be thankful they weren't in Detroit.
Otherwise, if they dared to say those things there, they would surely be torn to shreds by the enraged workers.
The darkness before dawn is often the hardest to endure.
When speaking of the Great Depression, the world only remembers 1929, yet they don't know that America's closest moment to collapse wasn't 1929, but 1932.
During this period, the market value of all listed companies plummeted to 11% of their 1929 value, and investors lost enough money for America to fight World War I three times over.
Facing hunger and poverty, the populace launched numerous desperate strikes to survive, but the results were far from ideal. In the face of protests and strikes, Hoover's response was relatively cold-blooded; the National Guard and the capitalists' armed forces colluded, brutally suppressing the striking crowds.
Many people who didn't die from starvation during the Great Depression were instead killed by bullets during the crackdowns.
Police, armed with tear gas and riot guns, confined all the striking protestors to a temporary camp, denying them water, food, and even access to toilets.
After huddling on the cold ground for 48 hours, the protestors were finally released. As they left, they sang a song they had just learned: "Arise, ye slaves, hungry and cold. Arise, ye suffering people of the world. Our blood is boiling with passion, we must fight for the truth..."
The Great Depression, an era defined by a failed struggle against capitalism.
(end of chapter)