Chapter 337: Fellow Americans
Promoting "East African cuisine" must wait for Ernst himself, and he's still in Europe. So it's on hold for now, until he reaches East Africa.
…
July 12, 1871.
America, New York.
After the Civil War, the United States has reached an unprecedented level of prosperity—so observed Jonathan, General Manager of Hechingen Bank in North America, over the past three years.
Hechingen Bank set up in North America three years ago, though a trade liaison had existed even earlier—back when Ernst was still in Berlin. Yet the official bank presence only came after Hechingen Bank was formed and expanded.
"Another immigrant ship?" Jonathan said, strolling by the shore with his wife.
His wife, Angela, replied, "Likely more Italians. Lately, Italy's situation must be grim. Every day new Italians land in America."
Jonathan laughed, "Serves them right. They provoked us Germanic people—what good ending could they expect?"
As a German, Jonathan tends to view the Austro-Hungarian Empire as part of the "German homeland," though now there's also the unified Germany. In older days, many of them still used the Austrian identity because Austria was once a top-tier great power.
Angela cautioned, "Jonathan, keep those remarks at home—someone might be listening, and that could cause trouble."
"I know, dear. I'm only saying it now because it's just us two," Jonathan said.
Angela worried that if the Italian immigrants overheard, it could mean conflict. New York's Italian neighborhoods are infamous, filled with revolutionaries and mobsters. A few days ago, Austria-Hungary forced Italy to expel large numbers of "patriots," so the Italians in America are still brimming with "martial spirit." In New York, Italian groups greet each boatload, so it's wise to stay cautious. One never knows who in the crowd belongs to powerful syndicates—most of the big gangs in America these days are run by Italians.
Before the Italian Mafia rose, the Irish dominated American crime. From 1845 to 1850, Ireland's Great Famine sent millions of starving Irish here. The U.S. government gave them jobs and citizenship. In those early democratic years, every new immigrant had voting rights, so both parties courted them. Initially, politicians bribed them with jobs and passports, but soon they needed them to attack opponents—via kidnapping, extortion, intimidation. These political "henchmen" became America's first gangs.
But now the Irish are old news. Compared to them, the Italians—often hardened by real combat—are more disciplined and organized, so they're more popular with employers. Ernst's quiet manipulations also fanned the growth of Italian mobs in America.
Paraguay, a small country, couldn't absorb many Italian emigrants, mostly from Venice. Argentina and other South American nations welcome them, but in the end, more Italians still head to the U.S., where the Italian diaspora is already large. Family and friends help each other cross the ocean. If they can contact relatives who came before, they'll sell everything and go.
Penniless Italian refugees don't find paradise waiting in America, though. They're greeted by their "countrymen's love."
…
Down at the pier, crowds surge. The immigrant ship is finally docking. Many Italians, woozy from seasickness and half-starved, wander about. The captain can't wait to kick them off.
"Hey, beggar! You're in America now—freedom's right here, paradise is right here, so get off my ship!"
"Stop dawdling—still half asleep? Grab your things and scram!"
"Hey, don't die on my ship. If you must die, do it in the sea for all I care. Sailors, drag him off!"
Within an hour, the captain had driven everyone ashore.
"Captain Morny! Here's some payment from our association to thank you for your kindness in saving so many Italians," said Babul, a representative of New York's Italian community.
"Hahaha, Mr. Babul, you're too generous. It's my duty!" barked the captain, who'd been cursing out the Italians moments before. Now he put on a beaming smile for Babul—the man who paid him.
Three months earlier, the Italians in America got wind of a horrific event: some unscrupulous captains, wanting to carry more people to earn more money, would dump Italians into the open sea, giving them a few dinghies, then hurry off for the next run. One group of survivors was rescued by a passing merchant ship, their story making headlines. Outraged, the "Italian patriots" in America devised a plan: gather funds to pay each captain for every batch of Italians safely delivered—fully alive and with no empty seats. The extra bounty overcame greed for more cargo, thus stopping such atrocities.
Of course, these "patriots" themselves lacked the necessary funds, most of which came from the Italian Mafia. The mafia wanted manpower for its new endeavors. And so, newly disembarked Italians experienced "kindness" from their countrymen.
"Hi, brother, you must be starving! I've got bread and water here," called a friendly man.
"Thank you so much, sir!"
"Easy there, don't choke. Here's some water, too."
After a while:
"So which part of Italy are you from?"
"Lombardy."
"A fine place indeed. I'm from Sicily, but I've heard Lombardy's the best part of Italy."
"Not anymore. War ruined it."
"Ah, don't be sad, brother. You're in America now. Things will get better."
"I sure hope so."
"Are you here to join family?"
"All my relatives back home died."
"My sympathies."
"It's all right. I've had time to accept it. On the ship I thought I'd die, but stepping onto land reminded me life is worth living."
"So you came alone—no home or job lined up? How will you survive?"
"I…don't know."
"Guess not. You're like everyone else who rushed here cluelessly. You really should've checked first."
"Then what should I do?"
"Relax. You're lucky you ran into me. Our company is hiring, and the boss is Italian. Interested in joining?"
"Really?"
"Sure. Look at my suit—I used to be dirt-poor from the worst part of Italy. In America, if you dare to dream and fight, you can make it big."
Seeing the newcomer still hesitant, the man added, "Trust me, fellow countryman—I wouldn't lie to you. I'm only helping because we're both Italians."
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10