From legendary short seller to god of American capital

Chapter 318 Using Connections to Form a Network

Chapter 318 Using Connections to Form a Network

When Larry returned to the hotel, he received a telegram from Ontario, Canada, delivered by the hotel's telegraph operator.

The telegram was from Goldman Sachs, and it briefly stated that he had found a better place and would be going to Quebec City the next day.

Larry nodded after reading the telegram, and then dictated a reply: "I understand the plan. Come back soon to reassure the minority shareholders."

Back in his room, Larry summoned the waiters and asked them to take his long overcoat to be washed. He then took a long, hot shower, and afterwards, dressed in thick pajamas, sat on the sofa smoking a cigar.

Larry doesn't always crave cigars, but whenever he needs to concentrate, the smoke from a cigar seems to have a magical power, allowing him to focus better and sparking inspiration.

Larry carefully recalled his actions of the day and mentally reviewed his performance.

A short while later, Larry suddenly remembered something important: if he could really get in touch with high-ranking officials in the U.S. federal government and emphasize the importance of Bausch & Lomb, wouldn't that both increase the value of the acquisition and add a national security endorsement to the optical products? That would be double insurance!

Is it possible for him to contact high-ranking officials in the federal government? Of course! Theodore Roosevelt would be happy to take advantage of it.

Furthermore, there are two shortcuts to getting closer to someone: one is to cater to their preferences, and the other is to proactively ask them to do something for you.

Larry immediately went downstairs in his pajamas and, using the address he remembered, had the hotel telegraph operator send a telegram to Theodore Roosevelt.

The telegram's content was both ingratiating and a plea for favors: "It quotes the insight of your book, 'The Naval Wars of 1812,' that the precision of optical observation is the lifeblood of naval victory. If Bausch & Lomb Optics falls into German hands, it would be tantamount to handing over the very eye that the US Navy has been aiming at to a potential adversary."

I am currently in Rochester, doing everything in my power to stop Zeiss's acquisition of Bausch & Lomb. I have no intention of challenging existing laws, but only request your assistance within the bounds of the rules. I hope you will use your civil servant wisdom to safeguard the light of American industry.

Larry Livingston reporting from Rochester.

Larry deliberately quoted Roosevelt's own book, "Naval Wars in the War of 1812," which was the highlight of the telegram—even if the other party didn't help later, he still managed to flatter him.

This was quite a long telegram. The telegraph clerk repeatedly checked the address and number of words with Larry before turning to arrange for the telegraph operator to send the telegram. Larry then took out $2.5 from his pocket for the telegram fee and handed it to the telegraph clerk.

That evening, Larry received a call back from Washington.

"Your insight is excellent; a nation's industry is its very backbone. I will call you back tomorrow with a solution."

After reading the telegram, Larry smiled and tossed it onto the table to continue smoking his cigar. For some reason, he couldn't picture Theodore Roosevelt, but instead, he pictured Alice's adorable little face.

The next day at noon, Larry was having lunch in the hotel restaurant when the hotel's telegraph operator hurriedly delivered a telegram.

Larry took the telegram and read it; it was even simpler and clearer: "Three days from now, a Navy commissioner will be traveling to Rochester to assess Bausch & Lomb products under the guise of a technology procurement. Tariff barriers can be negotiated in accordance with the details of the Merchant Shipping and Marine Defence Supplies Act. Best wishes."

Larry was pleasantly surprised, thinking to himself that Roosevelt was indeed efficient and had a wide network of connections.

If we contact the U.S. Navy and intervene under the pretext of assessing domestic high-end optical production capacity to meet the Navy's needs, this would be helping within the rules—procedurally sound and providing substantial support for Bausch & Lomb's national strategic needs.

Although I don't know what the Merchant Shipping and Coastal Defense Supplies Act that the other party mentioned is, since Roosevelt has made a point about it, I can certainly make use of it.

Roosevelt was a politician, but also a genuine human being; he could treat the nation's needs as his own. This also demonstrates his deep understanding of the workings of power: he could use his influence to pressure the War Department to address this issue, especially under the guise of "national security." And this influence itself is a form of power.

This is where Roosevelt's value lies.

Larry immediately sent a telegram to arrange the itinerary of the naval officers.

Three days later, when Larry informed George Eastman to come with him to the Rochester train station to pick up the Navy Department officials, the latter was nearly speechless with astonishment.

"Larry, how did you do that?" Eastman stared at Larry with his mouth agape, as if he were seeing him for the first time.

"What did you accomplish?" Larry asked.

"You actually managed to persuade the Navy officials—my God, your family is incredibly powerful!" Eastman exclaimed with genuine admiration.

Larry had a smile on his face, but he didn't try to explain anything.

The two men sent by the Navy were Lieutenant Commander Van Horn, a tall, meticulous, old-fashioned officer, and James Green, a technical advisor to the Navy and a proponent of new technologies within the Navy.

Larry and Eastman received the two men and accompanied them on a tour of Bausch & Lomb.

The person on duty at the Bausch & Lomb factory that day was Dr. Edward, the second son of the Dr. family. He was the one who went to Germany to investigate and strongly advocated for the introduction of Zeiss's products and patents.

When he heard that Larry had actually brought Navy personnel for an "inspection," he was so shocked that his jaw almost dislocated.

This young man has such incredible energy! It's unbelievable.

The two men from the Navy Department were ostensibly there for an inspection—they wanted to know the quality of Bausch & Lomb lenses and whether they met the standards for military binoculars.

During the inspection, the two of them were constantly talking to others, learning about the situation, and looking at samples in the Bausch & Lomb workshop, keeping themselves very busy. In private, James Green, the technical advisor, turned to the major and whispered, "Bausch & Lomb's products are indeed very good. We haven't purchased a large quantity before, but I think the company's products can be further applied to more optical instruments—Major Horn, we have to make sure that the soul of these lenses remains in the United States, and its significance is not just the lens itself."

Van Horn nodded without saying anything more.

The two naval technical officers conducted their inspection with great restraint, making no statements to the company's management or saying anything superfluous. After the inspection, Dr. Edward, along with his two brothers who had rushed to the scene, inquired about the situation from the two naval officers.

The major gave a serious reply, stating that he was not responsible for providing any definitive answer. However, it was clear that upon his return to Washington, he would have to submit a report on sensitive technology research concerning national security to the Navy Department and even the War Department.

The inspection lasted for more than five hours. The Navy officials declined Bausch & Lomb and Larry Livingston's invitation to dinner and overnight stay, and the two returned to Washington by train that evening.

But this brief and swift investigation led Dr. John Sr. to slap his thigh and tell his three sons, "Tell the Germans to forget about it. Their opponents are some formidable foe."

The Germans received the news quickly.

Heinrich von Herzog stood at the window gazing at Lake Ontario for a long time before turning to his men and saying, "Send a telegram to Louis Schmeisser, telling him he must be in Rochester by tomorrow morning!"

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