To put it plainly, this is actually in line with the gradually rising women's movement in the United States. At this time, feminism was quite reasonable and normal, without any extreme ideas. It simply advocated for gender equality, where women should be able to do what men can do, and not be confined to the role of housewives.
Women's involvement in politics and public affairs was very active, and it could even be said that "he who wins the women, wins the world." If Mrs. Wilkie could follow the example of President Hoover's wife or Roosevelt's wife, and actively engage in charity, education, and child protection—areas that her husband was unable to focus on—this would be a great help to Wilkie.
There were so many starving children in New York now, Mrs. Wilkie could easily raise a banner for the future and hope of America, showing that she could not sit idly by while children suffered from hunger and cold. By doing so, she could help others and also gain support and goodwill.
Speaking of politics, Wilkie didn't get into the car. He asked Moses to follow in the car while he and Nair discussed the matter in detail. Now, Wilkie had truly awakened to certain aspects and was genuinely paying attention to these matters.
As they walked, they discussed blankets, clothing, and other necessities. It was just the right time to set up a wholesale supermarket, and they could directly order from suppliers. They didn't even need to pay for the goods upfront, just a small deposit was enough.
A lot of times, supermarkets, being at the bottom of the supply chain, could delay payments to suppliers for two or three months, sometimes even half a year. It had become a common practice, not considered special.
After all, if the products sold well and the payment came quickly, the suppliers would be happy to receive their dues. If not, the supermarket bore the pressure, taking on some of the risk.
As for the relief food, there was no need for anything fancy. Buying cheap grains, cooking large pots of porridge every day, and distributing it in the mornings and evenings was sufficient. After all, porridge was a staple food for the common people, and distributing hot porridge wasn't a bad thing at all.
Using a line from a certain TV show, you could just sprinkle some dirt on the porridge at the factory, and hungry disaster victims wouldn't care. When you're starving, anything will do, as long as there's food.
There were plenty of sources for cheap grains. Many farmers even burned their corn and wheat for fuel because the prices were so low that even the cost of transportation couldn't be covered. Some farmers were even losing money on the sale of these products.
This didn't require Nair's help. Wilkie, who handled taxes and contracts for many agricultural companies, knew several firms with cheap, overstocked grains that were just sitting in warehouses and going to waste.
What was needed now was manpower to help with the distribution. So, they needed to collaborate with some social welfare organizations or child protection groups to organize the distribution.
The goal was to quickly identify the organizations that were truly working hard and not just profiting from the situation. With Wilkie's connections in New York, it wouldn't take long to find out. The next step would be to have Mrs. Wilkie "donate" her dowry or inheritance—three thousand, five thousand dollars, or even ten thousand dollars. The important thing was to make the donation look good, gaining even more goodwill.
"How much is appropriate?" Wilkie asked, as he was about to open the wholesale supermarket, and his cash reserves were not exactly abundant.
"At least five thousand, ideally ten thousand. Please ask Mrs. Wilkie to contact a few more people. The more days of supplies, the more exposure we'll get," Nair advised.
People like Wilkie, a big lawyer, would certainly have their own social circle. It wasn't hard to get the wives of bankers, politicians, or other wealthy individuals to donate a thousand or eighteen hundred dollars. Even if they were unwilling, their husbands would likely support the cause once they knew what the money was for.
In these times, many people were willing to spend a little money to promote their own good deeds and virtuous image. Nair felt this was actually acceptable. The poor would get real aid, and the rich would get the fame they sought—everyone would be happy.
"Should we do it after autumn?"
"Of course. The weather is still too warm now, so it won't have the same effect."
"I understand, I understand. Is there anything specific we need to focus on?"
"Well, the key is for Mrs. Wilkie to personally distribute food to the children and make sure she appears at every distribution point to create an image of someone who works tirelessly for the cause," Nair replied.
"That makes sense."
As they continued to walk and talk, they covered all the necessary details. For now, there wasn't much to worry about. If any issues arose, they would resolve them on the spot.
Before they knew it, they had walked over two kilometers. They parted ways, with Nair heading towards his apartment, which was in a high-end residential area in New York, a district with very good security. The general public, including homeless people, couldn't easily get in.
Even if someone managed to sneak in, the night patrol police would quickly apprehend them and expel them. This was why, up until 1202, such areas were so popular with white-collar workers and above—they paid higher taxes, which meant more police presence, leading to better security. The more affluent the area, the better the public services, forming a positive cycle.
Meanwhile, poor areas were just another matter.
Before Wilkie got into his car, he told Nair that there was no need to rush to the office for the next few days. He could take the time to explore New York, familiarize himself with the traffic and neighborhoods. If anything came up, he could always contact Wilkie's assistant, Moses. Once Nair got comfortable with New York, he could come to the office. After all, there was no rush.
As for wages, they both tacitly avoided the topic. Wilkie simply pulled a small envelope from his pocket, containing ten gold coins. These weren't regular gold coins, but "gold dollars," the most valuable currency in circulation, backed by real gold. In an economy where the market was struggling, gold-backed currency was increasingly sought after.
Nair didn't refuse, and after putting the envelope in his pocket, he watched Wilkie's car drive off before heading back to his apartment.