I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Wartime Procurement Regulations

The Wartime Emergency Procurement Regulations were, in essence, a safeguard to prevent capitalists from overreaching and losing control.

For example, with the Germans advancing steadily toward Paris, if the capitalists continued to greedily force the army to purchase equipment at exorbitant prices—while the army lacked the means to pay—the eventual outcome would be a complete German occupation. The result? Nothing but ruin for everyone involved.

This was clearly against the interests of the capitalists.

To prevent such a scenario, the capitalists finally had a "conscience awakening." They recognized that during wartime, moderation was necessary; otherwise, it would benefit no one. As a result, they reluctantly transferred some rights to the military.

“Simply put!” Gallieni closed the cigarette case on his desk with deliberate calm and slid it back into his pocket. “If the military has a need and the Senate cannot provide an alternative product, the Senate has no right to interfere with the military's purchases.”

He looked up at the two men before him, adding as a reminder: “Take your sidecar, for example. At the moment, it’s a unique invention, and it’s clear we have a demand for it. It has even proven its value in combat! I can include it in the Wartime Procurement Regulations, bypassing the Senate to make a direct purchase!”

Djoka’s eyes lit up instantly. This meant potential orders from the military—and possibly large ones at that!

But Charles caught the underlying message in Gallieni’s words. “‘At the moment, unique’? What about in the future?”

Gallieni fell silent. Typical Charles, always grasping the key issue in the shortest time.

Djoka, reminded by Charles, immediately realized the gravity of this point.

“General, can you guarantee our rights?” Djoka pressed. “I mean industrial rights. There’s a chance the capitalists could bypass or copy our designs, leaving us powerless against them! This would force us to sell off our rights!”

“No, I cannot,” Gallieni replied, shaking his head.

At the time, France operated under a shared understanding: if military leaders held political power, it would be no different from having an emperor—a situation that could easily topple the Republic and restore imperial rule. Therefore, politics was strictly off-limits for the military.

“In that case…” Djoka tried to negotiate further. “Can you at least guarantee that, should imitations appear, the military will still procure our products?”

Gallieni hesitated briefly, then shook his head again. “No, I cannot.”

Djoka glanced at Charles, then back at Gallieni, his face full of reluctance. “General, while we’re eager to support you, without guarantees for our rights or sales, and with the demand for low prices, survival might be impossible for us. This arrangement seems... unrealistic.”

Gallieni responded at a measured pace:

“If imitations appear, we can request a performance evaluation.”

“Take the Hotchkiss machine gun as an example. The process would work like this: we submit a request to the government, asking them to compare the Hotchkiss and Saint-Étienne machine guns from every angle. The government would then select soldiers at random to operate both guns under various conditions and generate test data.”

At that moment, Camille entered with a tray, serving each person a steaming cup of coffee.

Djoka and Charles were taken aback; their household rarely drank coffee. When they did, it was usually bought from the small shop across the street.

Gallieni thanked Camille. Once she left, he continued: “If the tests conclude that the Hotchkiss machine gun is superior to the Saint-Étienne, the military could reject the Senate’s proposal to equip the Saint-Étienne and opt for the Hotchkiss instead!”

Gallieni raised the coffee cup to his lips, gently blowing on the steam, then looked at Charles with a hint of awkwardness in his eyes. “What I can promise is that all of your equipment will be included in the Wartime Procurement Regulations.”

Charles mulled this over and gradually understood Gallieni’s approach:

If someone copies your design, let them copy it. To bypass the original industrial rights, they would inevitably introduce superfluous design elements, just like with the Saint-Étienne machine gun. The result? The imitation would prove ineffective in practice.

When that time comes, both the original and the imitation would be listed in the Wartime Procurement Regulations for side-by-side testing, where the superior original would prevail and enter military service without resistance.

After some thought, Charles asked: “But what if the capitalists, with their more advanced equipment and greater resources, produce imitations that outperform our original?”

Gallieni’s lips curled into a faint smile. “In that case, we would, of course, choose the superior product. We’re the military, Charles! Results are all that matter to us.”

That was the reality. What did it matter if a product was the original?
If it was defeated by an imitation, that only proved the imitation was superior. The military, especially during wartime, followed the law of survival of the fittest.

“General,” Charles said, “by that logic, it seems the military isn’t doing much. If our product is better, you’d include it in the regulations for comparison with the imitation anyway. Am I wrong?”

“No!” Gallieni shook his head, a touch of helplessness in his smile. “It’s not as simple as you think, Charles. Getting the Hotchkiss machine gun included in the Wartime Procurement Regulations took a lot of effort on my part!”

Charles froze for a moment, then nodded.

The military wasn’t solely represented by Gallieni. Its leadership had already been infiltrated by capitalists to a severe degree. One could say they were practically in collusion, forming a mutual-benefit alliance. This was the main reason why subpar equipment like the Saint-Étienne machine gun was so prevalent in the army.

Gallieni was an anomaly within the military, striving to improve its combat effectiveness.

Had it been peacetime, this anomaly would have long been expelled by the capitalists—just as they had forced him into retirement earlier.

It was ironic: obtaining superior equipment for the army was so difficult, even when that equipment was already produced and readily available. Soldiers might desperately want to use it in battle, but capitalists stood in the way.

Gallieni observed the expressions of the two men and seemed to grasp their thoughts. He nodded silently and said:

“I understand this is asking a lot, Mr. Djoka, and Charles.

“It’s unfair to you. I’m asking you to ignore the high prices set by the capitalists while offering only a place in the Wartime Procurement Regulations in return.

“But… that’s all I can do!”

“If you refuse, I will fully understand. If I were in your position, I might make the same choice. So…”

Gallieni extended his hand in farewell. “It was a pleasure meeting you both…”

But Charles said:
“I think we can keep negotiating, General. Let’s discuss a price that works for both sides.”

“What?”

“What!”

Gallieni and Djoka exclaimed in unison, staring at Charles in stunned disbelief.

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