I Became a Tycoon During World War I: Saving France from the Start

Chapter 47: The Wartime Procurement Ordinance

The wartime emergency procurement ordinance was essentially a safeguard, put in place because even the capitalists feared pushing things too far. For instance, with the Germans steadily advancing towards Paris, if the capitalists insisted on extorting the military for overpriced equipment while the army couldn't afford it, the country could ultimately fall to German occupation, leaving the capitalists empty-handed.

That, obviously, would go against their interests.

To prevent such a scenario, the capitalists had finally experienced a "crisis of conscience," deciding that under the circumstances of war, some restraint was necessary—for everyone's benefit. So, they relinquished limited purchasing power to the military.

"In short," Gallieni said, calmly collecting the cigarettes he'd arranged on the table and returning them to their box, "if the military has a need that the Senate cannot provide an alternative solution for, they have no right to interfere in military purchases."

He looked up, glancing between Charles and Deyoka as he added, "Take your sidecar-mounted machine gun, for example. It's currently unique, and we clearly have a need for it. It's already proven itself in battle! I can add it to the wartime procurement ordinance and bypass the Senate to buy directly from you."

Deyoka's eyes lit up at the idea. This could mean orders from the military—maybe large orders! However, Charles picked up on the keyword in Gallieni's statement. "'Currently unique'? What if that changes?"

Gallieni hesitated, once again surprised by Charles's perceptiveness.

Deyoka caught on as well. "General, can you guarantee our rights in that case?" he asked, pressing further. "I mean, the patent rights—could the capitalists find a way to replicate or bypass them, leaving us powerless to stop them? That's why we were forced to sell the rights in the first place."

"No, I can't," Gallieni replied, shaking his head.

The consensus in France at that time was that the military should never hold political power, as it would put them on par with an emperor and threaten the republic. Political power in France was divided among three branches, each designed to limit the others. Politics was firmly off-limits for the military, with no exceptions.

"Well then…" Deyoka pushed for a compromise. "If copies do appear, can you guarantee that the military will still buy our product?"

Gallieni hesitated but shook his head again. "No, I can't."

Deyoka looked at Charles, then back at Gallieni, his expression conflicted. "General, while we'd like to support you, we can't survive without sales or guaranteed rights while also keeping prices low. This doesn't seem feasible."

Gallieni spoke in an unhurried tone.

"If copies do show up, we could request a comparative evaluation."

"Let's take the Hotchkiss machine gun, for instance. Here's how it generally works: we submit an application to the government to compare it with the St. Étienne model. They randomly select soldiers to operate both models in different conditions, and the results are based on the gathered data."

Just then, Camille arrived with a tray, setting down steaming cups of coffee in front of everyone.

Charles and Deyoka exchanged surprised glances—coffee wasn't something they typically drank at home; on the rare occasion, they'd pick some up from Osset's shop across the street.

Gallieni thanked Camille, and after she left, he continued. "Once the data showed that the Hotchkiss outperformed the St. Étienne, the military could reject the Senate's insistence on the St. Étienne and opt for the Hotchkiss instead."

Raising his cup, Gallieni blew on it lightly and looked pointedly at Charles, a hint of resignation in his eyes. "The best I can do is to ensure your equipment qualifies for wartime procurement."

Charles took a moment to consider Gallieni's proposal, recognizing his intent.

If someone created a copy of his equipment, it would inevitably have extra modifications designed to bypass the patent—much like the St. Étienne gun. This would likely weaken its functionality. In that case, by including both the original and the imitation in the wartime ordinance, the original would stand a better chance of outperforming the imitation, guaranteeing its place in the military.

After some thought, Charles asked, "But what if the capitalists, with their superior resources, produce an imitation that's actually better than ours?"

Gallieni gave a small, wry smile. "Then we'd choose the better product, of course. We're the military, Charles. The military's focus is always on results."

This was the reality—even a genuine product could be replaced if it was outperformed. And that would mean the imitations had managed to improve. Military procurement followed a "survival of the fittest" rule, especially in times of war.

"General," Charles said, "doesn't that mean the military wouldn't be doing anything at all? If our product is superior, wouldn't you include it in the procurement ordinance anyway?"

"No," Gallieni replied, shaking his head, a faint but rueful smile on his face. "It's not that simple, Charles. Just to get the Hotchkiss on the procurement list, I had to fight for it."

Charles nodded in understanding. The military wasn't made up solely of Gallieni. The upper ranks were riddled with capitalist influence, making them practically a mutual interest group. This was why poor-quality equipment like the St. Étienne was so widespread in the military.

Gallieni was something of an anomaly—a military officer trying to improve the army's combat capabilities. In peacetime, he would've been cast out by the capitalists, as had happened before when he'd reluctantly retired.

It was an unfortunate irony that, even when a better product was readily available, the military still struggled to procure it due to the capitalist stranglehold.

Seeing the uncertainty on Deyoka's and Charles's faces, Gallieni nodded and said quietly, "I know this may seem like a lot to ask, Mr. Deyoka, Charles."

"It isn't fair. I'm asking you to ignore the capitalists' high prices, and all I can offer in return is a place on the wartime procurement list."

"But… it's the most I can do."

"If you decline, I'd understand completely. Honestly, in your position, I might do the same. So…"

He held out his hand, preparing to leave. "It was a pleasure meeting you both."

But Charles spoke up.

"I think we can keep talking, General. Let's discuss a price that both sides can accept."

"What?"

"Excuse me?"

Gallieni and Deyoka looked at Charles in shock, their eyes widening with surprise.

(End of Chapter)

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