บท 7: Chapter 7 Newsboys
"Excuse me, sir... I heard you were searching for us?"
In the office of the Messenger newspaper, a group of boys dressed in oversized clothes and newsboy caps huddled together, cautiously addressed Colin.
These newsboys, due to prolonged malnutrition, appeared extremely frail and pale, their complexions resembling wax compared to their healthier peers.
It was during the Great Depression that children suffered the most.
Later statistics revealed that in certain states, over 90% of children experienced malnutrition during that time, ultimately leading to significant consequences in the post-World War II era. Many children who grew up in the Great Depression were considered unfit for military service, with nearly 40% of young men afflicted by poor eyesight, heart and circulatory system diseases, limb deformities, and mental disorders.
Even the renowned Captain America, Steve Rogers, was a young man who endured the hardships of the Great Depression.
His emaciated appearance prior to receiving the super soldier serum accurately depicted the majority of adult men during that era.
"That's correct."
Putting down his pen, Colin smiled kindly at the newsboy standing before him, speaking in a gentle tone.
Through his connections with the delivery man, Colin successfully located the newsboys.
"If I may ask..."
Colin's amiable demeanor partially alleviated the newsboys' anxiety.
The children glanced at each other, and finally, the oldest-looking newsboy, approximately twelve or thirteen years old, gathered the courage to speak to Colin. "Sir, why have you brought us here? If it's about the newspaper prices, I'm sorry, but I can't agree, sir. It affects the livelihood of all the newsboys. The Messenger has almost stopped making us any money lately."
As they mentioned the issue of pricing, the children clustered together, raising their voices collectively to amplify their impact.
For the newsboys, every cent of the newspaper's price held immense significance.
The 1899 newsboys' strike originated from a mere difference of ten cents per bundle. At that time, newspaper magnates increased the price of each bundle by ten cents, serving their own interests while diminishing the newsboys' profits and making it nearly impossible for them to make a living. In response, the newsboys initiated a strike, protesting against the costly newspapers and eventually achieving victory.
"No, quite the opposite."
Shaking his head, Colin gazed at the assembled newsboys.
Most of them were not even ten years old yet, but they were already grappling with survival.
"I brought you here not to raise the prices, but to give you money."
"Money?!"
Colin's words caused a stir among the newsboys, as expected. They exchanged surprised glances, their young and pale faces filled with astonishment.
Not only the newsboys but even Old John was equally stunned by Colin's statement.
He opened his mouth to speak, but was halted by Colin's gaze.
"Sir, we appreciate your generosity."
When the commotion subsided, the leading newsboy spoke up, looking at Colin with his freckled face. Although his tone conveyed some excitement, his demeanor remained unexpectedly calm. "However, could you explain the reason behind this? We are just a group of ordinary newsboys. We work diligently every day to deliver newspapers merely to survive. If your intention is to exploit our situation for illegal activities, I apologize. Though we are impoverished, every penny we earn is the result of our hard work, which makes us feel at ease every day. "
The words of the leading newsboy awakened the other children who had been consumed by joy. They all turned their gazes toward Colin.
Feeling their gazes upon him, Colin raised an eyebrow involuntarily.
Naturally, he did not intend on involving the newsboys in any unlawful endeavors, but the composed attitude of the leading newsboy left a profound impression on him.
Unable to resist, Colin inquired, "What's your name?"
"Jimmy, sir."
Colin acknowledged the newspaper boy's name with a nod, storing it in his memory.
Colin then continued, addressing Jimmy, "Understood, Jimmy. I want to assure you that the reason I called you here is connected to 'The Messenger' newspaper. The upcoming discussion will solely revolve around matters concerning the newspaper."
Jimmy let out a sigh of relief upon hearing Colin's words, which provided comfort to the worried newspaper boys.
After carefully listening to Colin's explanation, Jimmy, the newspaper boy, finally spoke up, "We are willing to trust you, sir. So, what do we need to do to earn the money?"
"It's simple."
Colin observed the hopeful expressions on the faces of the newspaper boys before him, and a smile formed on his lips as he replied, "All I need you to do is learn a few songs..."
There were not many lyrics in the songs Colin mentioned, and within a few minutes, the present newspaper boys had already memorized them.
Whispering the lyrics to themselves, Jimmy looked at Colin with a hint of confusion on his face, asking for the first time, "Sir, is the purpose of gathering us really just this? Are you saying that by singing these lyrics, we can reduce the price of each bundle of newspapers by 5 cents?"
"Exactly."
Colin nodded, his gaze fixed on Jimmy, whose face bore a few freckles, and he responded with a smile, "Not only the newspaper boys here, but you can also spread the word to other newspaper boys. If they memorize these lyrics and sing them while selling 'The Messenger,' they can enjoy the same discount when purchasing newspapers from me."
A 5-cent discount on the purchase price proved enticing to the newspaper boys, who had limited incomes.
It's worth noting that the trigger for the newspaper boys' strike was a mere 10 cents.
Furthermore, in the midst of the Great Depression, all industries faced challenging times, and the newspaper boys were no exception.
Therefore, after a moment of hesitation, the newspaper boys swiftly agreed to Colin's request.
"Colin, no, boss..."
Observing the departing figures of the elated newspaper boys, a hint of concern appeared on Old John's face inside The office.
Turning to face Colin, unable to hold back, Old John voiced his worry, "Are you truly planning to lower the selling price of the newspapers? I fear that..."
Although a 5-cent discount per bundle may not appear significant, when accumulated, it could become an overwhelming burden for The Messenger, which was already on the verge of crisis. A slight misstep could easily lead to a precarious situation.
Considering his own position at the company, Old John felt compelled to suggest an alternative, "Perhaps we can try sending Young John to cover more areas, or take some..."
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