Chapter 193: New Technologies
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21-September-1921
We were in central Riga, visiting one of the buildings we had finally put to use: a radio station that had just begun operating.
We had recently authorized civilian use of our radio equipment. Its capabilities were still limited, and much of the equipment remained too heavy, but transmissions could already be received in various parts of the city. It seemed a good means of broadcasting government messages, propaganda, and state advertising.
’’Very well, mein Herzog, everything is ready as agreed. We have brought the station into operation relatively quickly thanks to the equipment at our disposal. This will be the central station from which messages will be broadcast. We have used equipment supplied by the military engineers’ wireless telegraphy sections and enlisted the help of Luftwaffe engineers to assemble this transmission system’’ explained one of the operators, pointing to the room where several workers were arranging the equipment.
’’Let us see... It looks considerably more compact than the American model. What do you think, Manstein?’’ I asked, showing him the plans as he stood beside me.
’’Indeed. The Americans may be ahead of us in certain aspects of radio, but one of the greatest achievements of our research has been reducing the size of the equipment. We also have the receiver plans ready, and manufacturing has already begun. The factory started operating two days ago, after the final adjustments to the design and production process were completed’’ the operator interjected as he led us over to one of the receivers.
’’Yes... Compared with the American plans, ours are much smaller. But what matters most here is the price. Size becomes decisive when you need to save space inside a panzer or an aircraft’’ said Manstein, examining the plans for the American transmitters and receivers.
’’Exactly. We need every household to be able to own one of these sets to extend the reach of our propaganda campaigns. We can also encourage purchases through advertisements, broadcast news, and introduce people to local music. If the price prevents people from buying them, our broadcasts will not reach as many homes as we want, and revenue will be lower as well. Though I have yet to decide whether we ought to bring all the stations together in one large cooperative or establish several smaller ones to allow for some competition’’ I said, examining one of our prototypes.
’’One hundred and fifty Baltic marks, mein Herzog. That is the selling price set by the factory. I was informed that forty-five marks represent profit, while the remainder covers wages and materials’’ explained the operator.
’’That is expensive. Almost an average worker’s monthly wage, is it not?’’ asked Manstein, turning toward me.
’’Yes. According to the latest report, the average wage is around one hundred and eighty-two Baltic marks. Many people would have to spend almost everything they earn in a month to buy a radio. Frankly, that is too much for what we intend... Perhaps we could subsidize part of the price’’ I said, bringing a hand to my chin.
’’That would cost us as much as financing several medium-sized projects. If you want every family to have a set, considering that the duchy’s population is rapidly approaching ten million, we would have to devote a considerable sum to it. Other investments would have to be reduced or postponed’’ replied Manstein thoughtfully.
’’We have a much simpler model that could be sold for thirty Baltic marks. It is a small portable receiver, but it can only receive nearby stations and requires headphones. It is inexpensive, though we assumed its limitations would attract little interest. The more elaborate set can receive distant stations and has a loudspeaker, allowing people to listen without headphones’’ explained the operator, pointing to a receiver that almost fit in the palm of a hand, while the other was the size of a box.
’’The companies will be distributing their dividends soon... Last time, consumer spending rose considerably. If we accompany the distribution with a newspaper campaign to advertise the receivers, perhaps people will buy them with their own money and spare us the subsidy. If things continue as they have, the dividends will be more generous than last year’s’’ I said, raising a finger as I remembered that profits were due to be distributed in December.
’’True... It could work, considering that purchases of luxury goods soared after the last distribution, as you said. Is that not so?’’ asked Manstein, nodding with a smile.
’’Exactly. Sales of luxury goods rose by almost a thousand percent. Before the dividends were distributed, many people had enough to live comfortably, but not enough to afford such expenses. The same thing may happen at the end of this year, so for now we should concentrate on ensuring that every city in the duchy has a radio station capable of transmitting our messages, as well as establishing stations for public broadcasting. I would begin offering advertising time immediately to companies wishing to promote their products. That way, we will earn advertising revenue from the outset and be able to judge the results of the state campaigns’’ I said, nodding as I examined the prototype receiver.
’’We will also need a military network, with frequencies reserved for communications between our officers. We could dispense with Morse code in many cases; transmitting a message and transcribing it takes a considerable amount of time. If we can communicate by voice from one end of the duchy to the other, coordinating the troops will be much easier. Besides, we must see whether we can finally obtain a panzer prototype with all the improvements we need’’ said Manstein, looking pleased.
’’All in good time. Once we have a sound chassis and an engine capable of moving it at its full weight, we will see what equipment we can fit inside the panzer, including better radios. For now, armor and engine power take priority, though the radio matters too... Keep up the good work. Once you finish here, begin installing the other stations planned for the city and the other urban centers. We must be ready for the increase in purchases in December. Have the receiver factory maintain production even if it cannot sell the sets yet. We will grant it a state loan, which it should be able to repay without much difficulty after the dividends are distributed’’ I said, turning toward the exit.
’’At your command, mein Herzog’’ replied the operator.
’’And now what? Were the elections for representatives to your advisory body not being held today? Why did you postpone them when you said you wanted to organize them as soon as possible?’’ asked Manstein, following me toward the vehicles as my bodyguards walked behind us.
’’Yes, they are today. The polling stations open at nine in the morning. Several civic organizations requested more time to organize their candidacies and avoid a flood of hopefuls with no support behind them. That allowed them to choose those who enjoyed the greatest support among local residents. Besides, granting one representative to each locality gave the small rural villages too much weight, while those from Riga, Narva, or Wilna would have had to defend the interests of a much larger population. We had to draw up reasonably sensible electoral districts and allocate seats according to population’’ I explained as I descended the steps toward the street.
’’Ah... Was that the only reason?’’ asked Manstein, raising an eyebrow as though he already knew the answer.
’’No... We also had to send the candidates’ names to the printers, review the electoral register to determine how many people could vote and how many ballots we needed, and instruct the civilians staffing the polling stations so they would know how to verify voters’ identities and keep the voting records. As if that were not enough, we had to coordinate the police guarding the ballot boxes and organize the count at the end of the day. Afterward, we can announce who has been elected, assemble them in the Riga Parliament, and put them to work’’ I said with a grunt, annoyed with myself for having thought that organizing elections would be simple.
’’Ha, ha... Well, then we shall have to wait for the results. I hope your idea proves useful, because paying salaries to a hundred and twenty representatives to form a merely advisory body strikes me as a rather unnecessary expense. To find out what the towns need, we could simply go and ask their inhabitants’’ replied Manstein, settling into the vehicle that would take us to Parliament.
’’They will receive the average wage of a Baltic worker, nothing more. I have no intention of creating a political caste that lives comfortably merely by occupying a seat. The idea is for them to regard it as a patriotic duty, not a means of enriching themselves. Otherwise, they would end up abusing whatever powers we might grant them if we take this further, once we can control election results and claim that democracy exists in the Baltic Duchy. Some British diplomats have been rather persistent in asking when we will hold elections, as though they were an indispensable condition for maintaining good relations with them’’ I said, sitting beside him.
’’That sounds more like a desire to influence the political parties. They have already seen that you are not easily tamed and would prefer to deal with someone they could influence through money and pressure’’ replied Manstein as the vehicle began moving and the escort cars took their positions.
’’Yes, that is what it comes down to. Now that the Irish affair has given them some breathing room, they are putting pressure on us through diplomatic channels again. Our share of trade continues to grow, and after the drought and the poor harvests, we have become Europe’s largest food producers. Naturally, they would like a say in what we do’’ I replied, watching the streets through the window.
’’Without a doubt. But I assume you will give this business of bringing democracy to the duchy a good deal of consideration, will you not?’’ asked Manstein as the vehicle turned at an intersection.
’’Of course. As I told you, until we can control the outcome and secure an absolute majority for a party that answers to us, we should not allow democracy to return. It would weaken the government. They would demand a constitution, and all the disputes over restricting our powers would begin, when there are still far too many reforms to carry out before things run as we intend. So perhaps we will have to redraw the electoral districts to favor German communities and resort to similar measures until Germans form a majority in the country, though that is not far off either’’ I replied as I saw that we had reached our destination.
Manstein accompanied me into Parliament, where the final preparations were being made to receive the results and, afterward, the new representatives. We settled near the building’s telegraph office, through which news from the various electoral districts would arrive.
Through one of the windows, we watched Riga’s streets, crowded with people heading to the polling stations. There was also considerable activity among members of the local political parties, whose activities had been suppressed when I had been forced to seize power during the League of Nations intervention.
The same parties that had bared their teeth when they thought they could remove me from power were emerging from hiding once more. Now they were trying to reorganize and see what they could gain from this opportunity.
The hours passed as we watched voters come and go. The activity continued until six in the evening, when voting ended and the count began.
The first telegrams soon arrived with results from rural polling stations, where there were fewer ballots to count. Little by little, we learned the names of those elected in those districts, where candidates from the German communities predominated.
An hour later, results began arriving from the duchy’s major cities. There was greater variety there: alongside German representatives, several nationalist groups and some Estonian and Latvian socialists had won seats. A few Valkists were also elected in the rural districts near Germany. Apparently, that political movement from southern Germany had reached the duchy with its first supporters.
By late that night, we had the complete list of representatives. I ordered that they be notified of their summons and that transportation to Riga be arranged for them, by train or automobile, so they could be in Parliament the following day. I wanted to put them to work as soon as possible: have them present their constituents’ grievances and needs, and find out what we could do about them.
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