Franklin Delano Roosevelt signing an act.
CHAPTER 2 – SEPARATE DEAL
14:36 (Paris Time)
Tuesday, July 29, 1930
Tasha Lenoir’s electronic research laboratory
Aéro-Parc Blériot, Buc
Southwest suburbs of Paris
France
Thomas Fletcher had expected to be guided to a managerial office or, at the least, to some kind of administrative suite. Instead, he found himself entering what looked furiously like some kind of scientific laboratory. After asking to see Miss Tasha Lenoir, Tom had been led to a small group of buildings situated near the prototype shop of the Blériot-Kruger aircraft company, in Buc. The first room he was led into was full of tables and work stations supporting a bewildering assortment of electronic equipment of all kinds, along with some fantastic-looking instruments about which he couldn’t even start to guess what they were for. His guide, a young female employee, had then told him to wait there before she entered an adjacent room. Tom was still looking around at the strange instruments when the young employee came back, another woman in tow. That woman was clearly much older, appearing to be in her forties, but what struck Tom was her dress: a white coverall with hood, a pair of swiveling magnifying lens mounted on a sort of headband, and surgical gloves. She also had an air filtering mask, which she had pulled down below her chin, revealing the face of a beautiful mature Eurasian woman. The newcomer went to Tom and shook hands with him while smiling to him.
“Hello! I am Tasha Lenoir. I was told that you were looking for me?’’
“Uh, yes, Miss Lenoir. My name is Thomas Fletcher and I came to Paris to bring you an invitation from the governor of the state of New York, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.’’
Tasha raised at once an eyebrow on hearing that name. When she and her three old friends had accidentally been projected back in time all the way to the year 1912, which for persons of the 27th Century was an obscure and long-forgotten time period, they had with them only the most basic of historical data about the 20th Century. However, as basic as it had been, that database did include a substantial entry on Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who was supposedly to prove to be a key player in this century and who would become President of the United States in a bit over two years. Tasha’s interest was thus raised at once.
“Oh? And what kind of invitation would Governor Roosevelt have for me, Mister Fletcher?’’
“Basically, he and state governors from the New England region would be most interested to discuss with you a possible expansion of your air transportation network in the United States, to cover the whole New England area and the state of New York, on top of New York City. Governor Roosevelt noticed that you have started to build a new airport on the site of the old Gala Amusement Park, in the Queens District. Were you looking to expand your United States air coverage, Miss Lenoir?’’
“Actually, no! Yes, I have bought the land on which the Gala Amusement Park was, but that is in order to give some extra breathing space to my existing Queens International Airport, whose runways are starting to become short and which is getting progressively squeezed by new constructions around it. As for expanding my network in the United States, that won’t happen until your damn segregation laws and Jim Crow regulations are repealed. I will simply not operate in a place that will force me to discriminate against people of color.’’
“Governor Roosevelt and his colleagues from the New England states do know about your objections against racial segregation, miss, and are ready to shield your future installations and personnel from them, the same way your present airport in Queens is exempt from following segregationist regulations.’’
Tasha nodded slowly her head at that, partially reassured.
“And did Governor Roosevelt tell you why he wants me to expand my aviation network in his state and around the New England area? The United States is presently living through a severe economic depression and I have already noted a significant drop in Air France flight bookings by American users. What does he want to achieve? Boost the local economy with foreign investments? Introduce new technologies that would create jobs? I am sure that he has not sent you here just to help me improve American ridership on Air France.’’
“I honestly couldn’t speculate about the Governor’s motives, Miss Lenoir. However, what I know is that Governor Roosevelt, along with the governors of the various states of New England, are ready to defy the federal government and the racist attitudes of many in the country in order to facilitate the expansion of your Air France network within the United States.’’
Tasha thought for a couple of seconds before replying to that last remark.
“Very well, Mister Fletcher: you convinced me. We will leave together for New York tomorrow. You will get to ride in my personal plane.’’
09:24 (New York Time)
Wednesday, July 30, 1930
PÉGASE supersonic executive jet ‘Lenoir 001’’
On approach to the Queens International Airport
New York City, U.S.A.
“We are now on final approach to Queens International Airport. Please buckle up your seat belts and put your seats in the ‘up’ position.’’
The overhead speaker’s announcement from the pilot made Thomas Fletcher reflexively look out through his window, where he effectively saw the East River and the suburbs of the District of Queens below. He then looked at his watch in disbelief: the flight from Paris to New York had taken only a bit over two and a half hours! The stunned look he gave to Tasha, who was sitting across their small table, facing him, made the Eurasian woman smile.
“I told you that my plane was a fast one, Mister Fletcher.’’
“But, your ATLANTIC jetliner takes about seven hours to make the New York to Paris trip. How fast is this jet, really?’’
“How fast? Let’s say that we just made the trip at a cruising speed of Mach 2.35, or 1,562 miles per hour, and that my plane can go even faster…much faster. I am very proud of the Blériot-Kruger PÉGASE, and not only because it is fast.’’
“Uh, what would be your other reasons to be proud of it, if it is not only its speed, Miss Lenoir?’’ asked Tom Fletcher, still shaken and impressed by the performance of the plane he was in. Tasha’s expression sobered up then.
“Because of the social and humanitarian impacts it is bringing to France and its people, mister. Air France presently uses a number of PÉGASE supersonic transports reconfigured for mass transit, with 54 regular-sized seats in its cabin, to provide a fast means of transportation to the average French citizen needing to go from France to one of its more distant overseas territories, like Tahiti and New Caledonia. A trip to Tahiti that would normally take over twenty hours in the air, plus two refueling stops on the way, only takes less than nine hours and one refueling stop with a PÉGASE, thus making such long trips much more tolerable. With its very long range, which gives it a truly global reach, the PÉGASE is helping to cement together France and its overseas territories, facilitating their administration from Paris, speeding the movements of civil servants, diplomats and dignitaries, and making mail distribution that much faster. Before, those overseas territories justifiably felt to be often forgotten by France. Not anymore! Another important role my PÉGASE plays is medical air evacuation. A patient in critical need of advanced or specialized medical treatment in France can now be transported quickly by one of the PÉGASE jets configured for medical evacuation that are used by France’s Red Cross Society. I donated the use of three such planes, along with their flight crews and ground support crews, to the French Red Cross, and I am immensely proud about the good they are doing.’’
“You donated three planes like this one? But, each such plane must cost close to a million dollars, no?’’
“And? Mister Fletcher, please understand this. I may have been very successful in business and do have a sizeable fortune in my name, but I am not doing all this in order to live in utter luxury. You saw my manor in Buc. While vast and well furnished, it is by no means extravagant in terms of decoration or furniture. The majority of the profits I make from my various business and scientific ventures are either reinvested into my enterprises’ infrastructures and tooling or spent to improve the work conditions and social benefits of my employees. All my employees benefit from a forty hour, five-day work week, paid annual vacations, free health care, maternity leave and retirement pension, to name only a few such benefits. As for Air France, I keep my air fares just high enough to turn a minimal profit and not register losses. Why? Because I want French citizens and other people to be able to travel around at an affordable price. For me, Air France is another way to glue together France and to make it a better country. It also gives me a way to improve the lot of the local citizens in our overseas territories, like Indochina, the Guadeloupe and French Polynesia, by offering them opportunities for good jobs and good education and by extending to them the same work conditions and benefits I offer to my employees in France. If you will go visit the Air France terminal in Hanoi, in Indochina, you will find that much of the employees there are locals, which I have helped educate and train for over fifteen years now. The same applies to my employees in Dakar, Senegal, and in Honolulu and Tahiti. By the way, my terminal in Honolulu is providing jobs to members of the local Japanese ethnic community, who are regularly discriminated against by your government and refused all but the most menial jobs by American employers. You must have noticed when you took your plane to Paris in New York that there were no separate bathrooms for negroes at Queens International. Well, if I ever build more installations around the United States, I intend them to be all desegregated and I will not tolerate any pressure to do otherwise.’’
Tom was left silent for a few seconds, taken a bit aback by her forcefulness, which was no fake indignation in his opinion.
“Miss Lenoir, may I ask what caused you to dislike so much racial segregation? Don’t get me wrong: I am no racist myself, but most people in the United States accept such policies.’’
“Which clearly marks the United States apart from France, or other countries. To accept the fact that black men and women can still be lynched by mobs, with no consequences for the perpetrators, is a sign of a deep social disease among the American society. You saw my friend Terry, who is presently piloting this plane and is both my personal bodyguard and a best friend of mine? Well, she has a university diploma, is a top notch pilot and a top rate soldier. Yet, because she is dark-skinned, any of your Caucasian American citizens with barely any education and no technical skills will deem her to be inferior to them, just because of her race. That, for me, is the epitome of stupidity and ignorance.’’
Tom decided then not to reply to that, seeing how passionate Tasha Lenoir was about that subject. He could understand her feelings, but he knew that those feelings could and would make her clash with many American citizens who were going to take exception to her preaching.
The landing was quite smooth, denoting the high skills of the pilot. However, the noise level in the cabin went up sharply when the two powerful turbofan engines were put in reverse thrust mode, making Tom’s torso and head project forward, so strong was the deceleration. Turning off the runway they had used, the plane then rolled along a taxiway leading to the main tarmac area, which surrounded the airport’s air terminal, to finally come to a stop under one of the eight passenger gates. That gate, like the others, was covered by a high overhead porch supported by pillars at its corners and had both an extendable elevated jetway and ground access doors for passengers and luggage. Having a low airstairs door, the PÉGASE didn’t use the elevated jetway to connect with the terminal. Instead, Terry Carlson opened and lowered the left side airstairs door of the plane, then helped Tasha take out their luggage from the luggage hold in the aft section of the cabin. Leaving the plane in the care of the copilot and radio-navigator, Tasha left the plane with Terry and Thomas Fletcher and walked to the ground level access door of their gate. Passengers in the process of boarding a Curtiss triple piston engine transport parked at the adjacent gate to their left couldn’t help gawk at the PÉGASE. In truth, it made a for a violent contrast compared to the American-made transport plane, something enhanced by the striking gold and red paint scheme of the supersonic executive jet, with the giant red and black letters ‘L i’ of the logo of the Lenoir Industries painted on the double vertical rudders of the PÉGASE. Once inside, they had to go as a routine procedure through the U.S. immigration and customs booths, where Tasha presented her French passport to the graying immigration officer.
“Hi, Fred! I’m coming for business and should be returning to France in a couple of days.’’
“It is always a pleasure to see you in New York, Miss Lenoir.’’ replied the immigration agent with a smile before stamping her passport and giving it back to her. He similarly stamped quickly the passports of both Terry Clarkson and Thomas Fletcher, allowing the trio to move on and bypass the customs services’ luggage search counters. As they were walking out of the Arrivals Hall, Tom couldn’t help make a remark to Tasha.
“You seem to have a good rapport with the U.S. Immigration Services agents posted here, Miss Lenoir.’’
“I indeed do, Mister Fletcher. For one, I am always polite and friendly with them, as long as it is mutual. Second, they know that this airport is by far the best assignment they could get, with ultra-modern facilities and excellent employees facilities. They have their own lounge and office area here, courtesy from me, and they know that this is a privately-owned airport and not a government-administered one.’’
“And what if the federal government expropriated this airport, for whatever reason?’’
“First, they would have to reimburse me for all the infrastructures and for the terrain I paid for if they wanted to do that. With the present economic depression, Washington simply doesn’t have the millions needed to buy this airport. Second, they would then end up with an ‘international airport’ with no international flights, as I would then immediately terminate all Air France flights to New York and would transfer them to other airports I own in Canada and in the French possessions in the Caribbean. I will do the same if Washington tries the same game in Honolulu and Los Angeles. Then, Washington will be free to explain to thousands of irate American businessmen why they now have to endure a week-long trip by ship to get to Europe and back. Basically, expropriating or seizing my airports on United States territory would be about the dumbest move Washington could do.’’
“Uh, there is no lack of stupidity in Washington, if I may say so, Miss Lenoir.’’
“Unfortunately, you are too right about that, which is why I keep fresh cards close at hand.’’
“So, how do we go to Albany now?’’
“We use the same thing that other passengers stopping here do: we take a Queens Air Taxi ride.’’
“Oh, I see!’’ said simply Tom, understanding at once. ‘Queens Air Taxi’ was a company affiliated with the airport and the Lenoir Industries that offered short haul, point to point air rides to passengers via the use of COLIBRI light vertical takeoff and landing craft. There were always at least two or three such machines on standby, parked near the taxi zone of the airport and awaiting customers. Those machines were very popular with passengers wanting a quick trip back directly home or to a hotel, even when their destination was in downtown Manhattan. The normal taxi drivers had made a lot of fuss at first about losing costumers to the air taxi service but, with a COLIBRI ride costing more than a normal taxi ride, they had ended losing only a small proportion of their customers. Extra airport amenities made available to the taxi drivers, like a heated and air-conditioned hut with large transparent windows and washrooms built at curb-side, had also helped silence any protests. Now, both air and ground taxis coexisted in peace, with ground taxis happily taking the slack when bad weather grounded the small craft.
The trio, towing behind them their wheeled suitcases, did find two COLIBRIs waiting in the taxi zone and boarded one, with Tasha handing a twenty dollar bill to the young pilot.
“We need to go to Albany. Is your tank full?’’
“It is, miss! I can make a return trip to Albany without problems.’’
“Excellent! Head for Albany: Mister Fletcher here will guide you to our final destination once over the town.’’
“Understood, miss! Please sit down and buckle your belts: we will take off in a minute, time to make a quick check of my map and instruments.’’
As promised, they soon were in the air, with the COLIBRI, a small machine consisting of a transparent cabin attached under a five meter-diameter ducted rotor and powered by a small gas turbine, rising gingerly in the clear July sky of New York and then heading North. Tasha and Terry were mostly silent during the ninety or so minutes the 240 kilometer trip took, while Tom, who was still not very accustomed to flying, avidly admired the view around from the air. When they arrived in sight of Albany, Tom got up and went forward to point to the pilot where to go. Six more minutes and the small 5-seat craft smoothly landed at the vertical on the lawn of a three-storey Italianate style mansion in downtown Albany. The COLIBRI’s landing immediately attracted a few neighbors and passersby in gawking from a distance at the machine, while a black man soon came out of the house and started walking towards the craft as its rotors slowed to idle. Tom then pointed out the approaching man to Tasha.
“This is Joseph, the Governor’s head steward. Let’s take out our suitcases: I will help you.’’
“No need, mister: I can take care of my things.’’
“As you wish, Miss Lenoir.’’ replied Tom before turning around to speak to the black steward. “Joseph, go tell the Governor that Miss Tasha Lenoir and one of her friends has arrived.’’
“Yes, Mister Fletcher!’’
With only one or two suitcases per person to carry to the mansion, the trio was inside in a minute, with the COLIBRI then powering up and taking off to return to New York. The head steward then bowed to Tasha in the rear vestibule area.
“The Governor will receive you now, miss. I will take care of your suitcases and will have them carried up to two guestrooms while you speak with him. If you may follow me.’’
“Thank you, Joseph.’’
She, Terry and Tom followed the steward to a comfortably furnished but traditional-looking lounge, where a man in his late forties sitting in a wheelchair greeted them with a smile.
“Aaah, the famous Miss Lenoir! Welcome to Albany! I am Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Governor of the State of New York.’’
“Pleased to meet you, Governor.’’ replied Tasha while shaking hands with Roosevelt. “May I present my friend and associate, Terry Clarkson, chief test pilot at Blériot-Kruger and owner of the ‘ Armaments Clarkson’ company.’’
Roosevelt looked up with surprise at the tall and fit black woman wearing a dark blue female business suit of futuristic cut, while Joseph, standing to one side, couldn’t help show near shock on his face. Terry then shook FDR’s hand with a strength that surprised the governor, who then asked a question.
“You own an arms manufacturing company in France, miss?’’
“It actually is more like a research and development shop for advanced weaponry, Governor. The mass production of weapons selected by the French government is normally done in a state arsenal, unless the weapon system in question is deemed to be too highly classified a design to mass produce in an open shop.’’
“And, to which countries apart from France is your company selling weapons to, Miss Clarkson? Do you sell weapons to the United States?’’
“No! My company sells its designs only to the French government, to equip its armed forces and its police forces.’’
“Your annual production must then be somewhat limited, no? You could probably easily sell more weapons by extending your list of customers.’’
“True, but that is a conscious choice I made years ago to help make France stronger with my weapons…and only France. Tasha also follows the same business philosophy.’’
“I see! You will have to tell me more about that later on, but first please have a seat, both of you.’’
Roosevelt also signaled Tom to stay and sit with them,then waited for them to be seated before continuing.
“You will excuse my wife Eleanor for not being present to greet you now: she is presently at a meeting of one of the local charitable organizations she is sponsoring. I must say that you arrived in the United States much sooner than I had expected. You must be quite tired after flying all night.’’
That brought a malicious smile on Tasha’s face.
“Actually, Mister Governor, we left France this morning and our trip from Paris to New York took less than three hours. There is of course the time zone factor that was in play here, with the time going back by six hours between Paris and New York.’’
“Less than three hours?’’ said Roosevelt, stunned, who then looked at Tom, who spoke up before his boss could ask.
“We came on Miss Lenoir’s private executive jet aircraft, which can fly at speeds above 1,500 miles per hour. That plane is a pure technological marvel, Mister Governor.’’
That left Roosevelt speechless for a moment but, to his credit, he rebounded quickly from his surprise.
“Decidedly, your reputation as a top scientist is well deserved, Miss Lenoir.’’
“Actually, I didn’t design that plane, Governor: another close friend of mine, Johanna Kruger, is chief designer at Blériot-Kruger and designed my PÉGASE. She is a top aerospace engineer, while I hold a doctorate in physics, plus master’s degrees in chemistry and electronics. As for my friend Terry, she has a diploma in weapons systems engineering.’’
This time, Roosevelt’s silence was markedly longer as he digested those facts, which went against all known conventions and preconceptions of the time, especially those concerning the role of women in society.
“This is getting more and more interesting by the minute, I must say. However, I should finally tell you why I wanted to meet you, Miss Lenoir. As you must know, the times are difficult ones at present in the United States, due to the effects of that disastrous financial crash last year. Many banks and businesses went bankrupt and unemployment is shooting up, while investments are drying up. My state has been hit hard by that economic downturn, like all the other states in this country, and I am working hard to combat it and stimulate the economy while helping those most affected, namely lowly workers and farmers. Unfortunately, President Hoover has, in my opinion, only worsened the situation with his misguided economic policies.’’
“I know! His recent Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was about the most stupid move he could have done. By slapping protectionist tariffs over more than 20,000 items of imported goods, he only attracted retaliatory tariffs from other countries and further restricted the outside markets for American goods, be they agricultural products or manufactured items.’’
“Exactly! Unfortunately, he is refusing to listen to reason, despite many attempts by me and by other state governors to make him reconsider his economic policies. He also refuses to abolish this stupid Prohibition Act, which cuts even further the amount of jobs and business opportunities. Instead, we now have more people than ever drinking, but in illegal joints mostly importing their alcohol from Canada or Mexico, while organized crime has used Prohibition to greatly boost its business and profits. Overall, not a very rosy picture, I must say. However, I am hoping to use your assistance in order to help my state’s economy and that of the various New England states, whose governors have the same mind frame as me.’’
“And I suppose that the help you are hoping from me is fresh investment money to stimulate your state’s economy and job market.’’
“Correct, but I am also aiming at another target at the same time: to improve the state’s aviation infrastructure and expand its air travel network, something you are justly deemed to be an expert in. An expanded aviation network will hopefully attract and stimulate more business and possibly extra tourism from overseas, something that could only benefit the local economy. If that expanded network could also be extended to the states of the New England region, then I think that it would attract even more business and tourism.’’
“France has indeed prospered thanks to my Air France network, which has greatly facilitated its links with its colonies and overseas territories, Governor, and I would tend to agree that an aviation network here would benefit the local economy. I however have two questions for you before we could discuss in detail what you would wish from me. First, I believe that most aviation facilities in your state and around New England either belong to the U.S. Army Air Corps, or are co-located with military installations, right?’’
“Uh, I believe so, miss. Why do you ask?’’
“Because of the second question I have for you, Governor: do you, as Governor of New York, have the power to stop the federal government and its military units from possibly interfering with the operations of future airports run by me and Air France within your state?’’
While keeping an impassive expression, Roosevelt was thrown off by that question and had to think quickly about it before he answered as diplomatically as he could.
“Well, technically, the federal government has the last word on the use of American territory by a foreign entity. However, if those new airports are officially owned by American interests, then expropriating th