Chapter 1024: See "Wartime Code" Again

The congressman's speech immediately caused laughter. After all, compared with the promise of becoming the world's second most powerful country, solving the economic crisis, and expanding territory on the European continent, the current situation of the French Second Republic is quite ridiculous.

Faced with the teasing, Dan Gira has lost his former humor and wit, or he is simply not used to being teased.

"The Germans occupied Rome? Who told you? Who told you that they are coming to Paris?"

Faced with Dan Gira's sudden attack, the congressman was also a little annoyed.

"This is a recognized fact!"

"Who recognized it?"

The congressman couldn't think of a rebuttal for a while. Although the facts are there, recognition is a very subjective thing. As long as someone doesn't admit it, it can't be called recognized.

"And you must firmly believe that our army can definitely keep the Austrians and Germans out!

If you, the most far-sighted people in France, don't believe that we can win, then does France still have a tomorrow? Congressman Bidour, please pay attention to your words!"

Dan Gira once again took control of the discourse.

"Gentlemen! The Second French Republic has reached its most critical moment! We must unite as one."

The parliamentarians were fed up with Dan Gira's long speeches and started to boo him from the audience.

"Mr. Speaker, please get to the point!"

Dan Gira was very angry, but he had no choice. After all, the Second French Republic was still a parliamentary republic at that time.

He began to understand Napoleon and Robespierre. After all, great ideas are not popular with the public. These so-called French elites in front of him were no different from pigs in Dan Gira's eyes.

But at this time, he needed these pigs to pass a new wartime code so that France would have enough troops and money to deal with the crisis at hand.

To be honest, as a Frenchman, Dan Gira had imagined the decline of Britain more than once, but he never expected that this decline would actually happen during the period of the alliance between the two sides.

"We need to issue a new "Wartime Code" to deal with the increasingly powerful and brutal enemy."

In fact, the government of the Second French Republic had tried to issue a warrior code before, but it was boycotted by the people due to its radical content, and even directly triggered the Barbès and Albert incidents, where people rushed into the government building and forcibly dissolved the parliament.

That incident caused at least thousands of civilian casualties and the "Wartime Code" also went bankrupt. Because of this, the French army's supplies could not keep up, so the generals on the front line had to find ways to fight to support the war.

It is also because of this that the French army, known as the first army in Europe, is so vulnerable. Less than a month after the war, it has reached a point where it is almost exhausted.

"I object! Mr. Dan Gira! You should still remember the previous tragedy. We don't want to do it again!"

"Then France will be ruled by a shameless monarch again, maybe Louis Philippe, maybe Count Chambord, who knows? After all, they are all flirting with the Austrians."

Dan Gira meant to show his cards directly. Whoever opposes is a royalist and a traitor. On this black-and-white issue, the MPs seemed much quieter, at least no one jumped out to oppose it face to face.

The old "Wartime Code" stipulates that bankers and factory owners can reduce or not pay wages appropriately, but workers and employees must work for fourteen hours before they can get wages.

Appropriately increase commodity prices to increase fiscal revenue.

The military police have the right to enter citizens' homes to search and collect taxes

The age of compulsory military service is lowered to 15 years old, and self-equipped weapons are encouraged

The new "Wartime Code" increases the working hours to 15 hours, while lowering the service age to 14 years old, and expands the supervision power of the military police, limiting the price and quantity of more than 70 commodities including sugar, pepper, and chili.

In addition, a one-time war tax equivalent to 10% of an individual's annual income will be levied.

Obviously the situation is very critical, otherwise Dan Gira would not have to make such a big effort, but he forgot one thing, that is, who is the real owner of this country.

The MPs in the parliament were already in an uproar before the new "Wartime Code" was read out.

A member of parliament stood up and asked loudly.

"Mr. Dan Gira, what is the difference between you and Robespierre?"

Dan Gira saw someone standing up and wanted to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys, but he was choked by someone's words.

"What you did is to restore the Jacobin's reign of terror!"

Seeing Dan Gira's weakness, someone immediately followed up, but no one who could climb to the pinnacle of power was easy to deal with.

"You traitors! France is at the moment of life and death, and you are still worrying about the few stinky money in your hands. When the Austrians come in, the first thing they will do is hang you on the Place de la Concorde!"

The Place de la Concorde in the center of Paris, the famous Revolution Square, is also known as the Beheading Square.

Dan Gira's words were obviously not very convincing, because whether it was the Russians, Austrians, or Prussians who entered Paris, they were more shocked by its prosperity. Relatively speaking, the French army committed more atrocities against Parisian civilians.