The journey starts from the Titanic

In fact, taking advantage of the good stock market, Situ Nan quietly sold the shares of Bethlehem and Chevron Petroleum since 1925, and their share was slowly decreasing. The cash was transferred to American China Bank, and finally lent to the South China and Wuhan governments.

For example, in the Northern Expedition last year, the government owed US$50 million in debt to the Bank of America and China on the books alone, and this will increase in the future.

Regarding the railway plan, Song Ziwen talked to Situ Nan and knew that Situ Nan was crazy about railways.Nanhua is a good example. Through large sums of money invested in railway construction, Nanhua's steel industry has been spurred and developed rapidly. Steel production exceeded one million tons in just three years. In the past, only a mere 100,000 tons of Medan Steel Plant was used. The newly emerging New Tangshan Iron and Steel Plant is far behind.

However, it still can't meet the needs of the market. It is necessary to import steel from the United States. South China's railways, highways, shipyards, factories, and modern buildings are like giant beasts devouring large amounts of steel.This is the power of modern civilization.

People have a heart for comparison, and Song Ziwen is no exception. After he came to power, he carried out drastic reforms, clearing the lijin, rectifying the financial system, strengthening tax control, and extensively recruiting young officials familiar with economic construction. The bad officialdom and old fritters are cleared out so that an efficient and clean government will lead the long-awaited five-year industrial plan.

Situ Nan would not think that Song Ziwen's steps were too rigorous and that he had offended a group of stubborn and corrupt old bureaucrats. On the contrary, he supported this approach.

And the railway is undoubtedly a big killer for destroying feudal society and blasting the "land" landlords that will hinder industrial development!

Back home, Situ Nan and Song Ziwen went into the study and continued to discuss the railway construction.

"The domestic infrastructure construction is too backward. Except for the Yue-Han Railway and the Yue-Gui Line we built, there are only the Beijing-Han Line and the Jin-Pu Line. They were all built in the Qing Dynasty, and the equipment is aging, plus the war from time to time. Destruction, the actual capacity is limited."

Situ Nan looked at the large map of China on the wall and sighed.

As for the railway in the Northeast, it has developed rapidly in recent years, but it is mainly due to the Japanese Manchurian Railway. The Chinese cannot get in touch with it. Situ Nan has ignored it in his heart.Maybe he doesn't have much confidence in the Zhang family and his son?

Song Ziwen did not pay attention to Situ Nan’s negligence, and then said: “The land of one million square kilometers in the 13 southern provinces will be put aside for the first time in the northern area. One line running through the provinces along the Yangtze River is equivalent to having a second Yangtze River channel.

There are also two main lines: Guangzhou (Zhou) Shanghai (Shanghai) Line and Chengdu-Kunming Line."

Song Ziwen draws a line on the map, taking Shanghai, Wuhan, Chengdu, and Guangzhou as four points. A railway circle that runs through the 13 southern provinces is formed, and supplemented by large and small branch lines, the completed railway network is formed. Similar to the railway layout of later generations.

"Very good." Situ Nan nodded and reminded: "But now Sichuan is not in the hands of the government."

"Sooner or later!"

Song Ziwen took it for granted. He moved his gaze upwards, and gently drew a long line on the map to connect Xinjiang and Shandong. The last one was from Beijing to the Mongolian plateau.

Song Ziwen's actions were what Situ Nan hoped, he smiled faintly, and said nothing.Some things, just know it in your heart.The future is really hard to say.

Railway development in the Qing Dynasty is actually quite good. The routes discussed by Situ Nan and Song Ziwen are actually not new. The previous dynasty had done most of the preliminary planning, and the Wuhan government only needed to take a rest to complete the railway planning.

"Let's stop here today! I will discuss with Lin Yimin again and pass a resolution in the government as soon as possible."

Song Ziwen left a word and hurried away, he drove away, and Song Meiling came back.

"Where's the person? I'm looking for something to do with him!" Song Meiling asked when she saw that there was only Situ Nan in the living room and two teacups on the coffee table.

"Just left!" Situ Nan said.

"Oh." Song Meiling was a little disappointed. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has just received news from the US Consulate that a high-profile business delegation will visit the United States in the near future. I am going to inform Ziwen."

"I know. I told him." Situ Nan smiled.

"Why didn't you tell me and made me run in vain. I wanted to come back early and tell him." Song Meiling groaned, giving Situ Nan a white look.

"Then you have to see you too! It's really not easy to be the man behind you." Situ Nan said helplessly, but her eyes were a little hot when she saw Song Meiling.

A strong woman is equal to a busy woman.Song Meiling was a little embarrassed. She was so busy every day that she hadn't seen Situ Nan for several days.

"Well, let's not talk about my brother, now it's time to discuss love brother."

...

"The boss wants to repair the railway, what do you think? The second boss?"

Song Ziwen went to Lin Yimin and said directly.

"Second Boss? It seems that you have a lot of complaints, Third Boss? But looking at your daily management, I think I am doing it right. I am indeed a bit lazy now."

Lin Yimin joked, taking a leisurely sip of tea.

"Bah! Dog mouth!"

Song Ziwen scolded with a smile.I thought, Lin Yimin is right to call himself the third boss.

The relationship between the two is not a deadly political relationship. Song Ziwen has political talent and bold courage. Lin Yimin takes a step back and focuses on the financial field to be more able to play, cooperate with each other, and be more efficient and tacit.

Well, a little difference in administrative levels can't explain anything. If you are unhappy, you can change it. In short, the real boss is Situ Nan.

"I have no objection. But I stated in advance that the bank can't make much money now."

Lin Yimin smiled, "The money has to go to the boss."

"I think so."

Song Ziwen smiled knowingly.But in his mind, Lin Yimin has been busy rectifying the domestic financial order recently, designing legal currency to circulate in the market, and he should have a lot of money.

Lin Yimin also told Song Ziwen that Situ Nan was selling US assets and transferring funds to domestic industrial construction, which gave Song Ziwen a reassurance.

In fact, Lin Yimin’s understanding is not completely accurate. The U.S. economy is developing rapidly and the major companies under the William Consortium are operating well. Because of Stuart’s advance deployment, he invested heavily in the three major U.S. expenditure industries of oil, construction, and automobiles. The return on investment is particularly outstanding. Other consortia developed more rapidly.

Occidental Petroleum, Chevron Petroleum, and Bethlehem Steel are worth more than 3.5 billion U.S. dollars. Four years later, in 1929, it is not a problem to double it.

In addition, financial companies such as Robles, Wells Fargo, and Citibank (with a small number of shares), through cross-holding of related industrial monopoly giants, the bank controls far more assets than itself.

Situ Nan's personal shareholding ratio is generally quite high. Even if he sells some shares, it will not affect his control. On the contrary, he can take advantage of the good stock market to arbitrage and transfer US funds to South China and China.

At the development planning meeting, Song Ziwen proposed a plan to build four main railway lines. Some people expressed doubts because of the shortage of government funds.

Song Ziwen was well prepared and said that he had already raised the first US$30 million in funding from American China Bank and the railway plan was passed soon.

Chapter 72 Wuhan New Deal (4)

In 1925, in order to speed up economic construction, the Wuhan government announced the construction of the railway network in its jurisdiction, and at the same time started the Han-Shanghai line and the Guangdong-Shanghai line projects, which were planned to be completed within five years.

The railway plan also includes the southwest main artery-the Chengdu-Kunming Railway and the Sichuan-Han Railway.The prerequisite is that all sectors of the military and political circles in Sichuan should contribute their sincerity to the Wuhan government and include Sichuan in the ruling territory of the Wuhan government.

The actions of Wuhan once again attracted national attention. The New Testament revision movement, the recycling of concessions, the autonomy of tariffs, the abolition of lijin, the unification of financial and financial affairs, and the railway plan have completely demonstrated that the focus of this regime is not on external expansion, but on drastic construction. economic.

Inspired by people in the southern provinces, a railroad boom began to spread, especially the warlords such as Yang Sen and Liu Wenhui who occupied Sichuan.

The people of Sichuan are suffering from the warlords' melee, and their economic development has been lagging behind the southeast provinces for a long time. The Chengdu-Kunming Railway and the Sichuan-Han Railway plan once again ignited their hopes and hoped to find the'way out of Sichuan' as soon as possible. Therefore, the warlords in Sichuan are very much Under great pressure, they did not expect that the Wuhan government would not continue the Northern Expedition, but suddenly turned its gun and moved westward.

On the one hand, the Wuhan government invited celebrities from all circles of business and politics from Sichuan to Wuchang. Chen said that after the unification of Sichuan, it will invest heavily in the construction of Sichuan railway and waterway transportation to promote the economic development of the southwest. At the same time, it will be prepared for the liberation of Sichuan by force. Led an army of 100,000, divided into two groups, entering Sichuan from Hubei and Yunnan.The deployed army consisted of the original Third Front Army. Most of the soldiers came from poor Guangxi. They were good at fighting in the mountains. They were more than adequate for the Sichuan Army with poor equipment and weak combat effectiveness.

Situ Mansion, with brilliant cherry blossoms, lakes and mountains, is a rare good time for recreation.

Lin Yimin and Song Ziwen came together to discuss with Situ Nan about financing the railway.

Speaking of entering Sichuan, Song Ziwen had some objections: "Sichuan Basin is under our blockade. In fact, we don't need to enter Sichuan in a hurry. After a few years, the water milling time will always be able to clean up the Sichuan mice." He meant that there is no need to rush into Sichuan. For a while.

"What you said makes sense." Situ Nan nodded, believing that Li Zongren will successfully complete the task of entering Sichuan.