America 1929: John F. Kennedy, the Great Writer

Samuel continued:

"Mr. Kennedy, I'm showing you this not to scare you, but to make you understand what you're facing. If you really want to fight this system, you need to be prepared."

"Although we face great risks, if you succeed, you will change this city."

Arthur looked at Samuel, then at the documents on the table, and nodded firmly.

"I'm ready. Tell me what to do."

A flicker of curiosity crossed Samuel's eyes.

"You seem very confident."

Arthur said:

"Because I believe that justice will ultimately prevail over corruption, and I've heard that Governor Roosevelt is a very decisive man. If your investigation report is strong enough, I believe he will take action."

Samuel's eyes lit up.

"You know Governor Roosevelt very well?"

"I've read some of his speeches,"

Arthur said that was the truth, except that he was reading a speech from a history book.

"I've always believed that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. I think this applies to fighting economic recessions as well as fighting corruption."

Samuel paused, taken aback. Roosevelt had said something similar, but in private and few people knew about it. He hadn't expected Arthur to say almost the exact same thing.

"You're an interesting young man, Mr. Kennedy. Very well, let's begin."

He sat down again and took out a notebook.

"Regarding your case. It is indeed unusual that the county court refused to accept your case. I will initiate a review of this case in due course, which will be interspersed among the reviews of many cases to avoid being discovered by those with ulterior motives."

Arthur agreed, saying, "I understand. What about my side?"

"I need you to keep writing. Your writing is very powerful, and continuing to write can create a favorable public opinion environment for us. Public opinion is a very important force."

Samuel paused and looked at Arthur.

"When my investigative report was finally released, the public was already prepared. They had begun to think about these issues, so they were more likely to accept the truth when it was revealed."

"However, you must be careful not to directly attack real people," Samuel cautioned. "My view is that you only need to pose questions and gradually guide the reader's thinking. Let them discover the truth for themselves."

"It's like if you sue them for defamation, once your article involves real people and events, they will turn around and say that you are defaming them, thus openly using the resources at their disposal to suppress you."

"But if you simply raise questions and guide readers to think, it's much harder for them to retaliate. Because you're not making specific accusations; you're just questioning and discussing."

Arthur nodded.

"I understand. This is not a short battle, but a long war. We need to advance step by step, gradually weakening the enemy's defenses."

Samuel looked at him approvingly.

"You understand very well. However, as an elder, I still have to say one more thing: you must be careful. The Tammany Society has taken notice of you. They will find a way to deal with you."

Arthur said, "I will be careful, but I will not stop because of fear."

Samuel looked surprised again.

"You're saying a lot of things that the governor would say. Maybe you should go and meet him."

"Perhaps there will be an opportunity in the future."

Arthur thought to himself that if everything went well, he would definitely meet the future president.

Samuel continued, "There's one more thing, your theater projects, keep going. I have a feeling your theater will be a key turning point."

"But remember, art is just a means, not an end. The real goal is to change the system."

Arthur stood up and stretched out his hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Samuel. I believe we will succeed. History is on our side. Corruption may prevail for a time, but justice will ultimately triumph."

Samuel grasped his hand, feeling a strange sensation, infected by his confidence.

This Kennedy seems to have an extraordinary conviction about the future.

"We are fighting for the same goal; you use your pen, I use the law. But our enemy is the same."

It was already dark when Arthur left the Court of Appeals building. He walked down the street, feeling surprisingly relaxed.

……

When he returned to the New York Herald's office, Isabella was still waiting for him.

Seeing him come in, she immediately stood up and asked anxiously:

"How is it? What did Samuel say?"

Arthur sat down with a smile on his face.

"The good news is that we've found a powerful ally. And I have a feeling we're going to win."

Isabella looked at the expression on his face with some surprise.

"You seem very confident, what happened?"

Arthur told her about his conversation with Samuel.

"So, our lawsuit is hopeless?" Isabella asked.

"From a legal perspective, yes, but from a broader perspective, we have new hope."

"What do you mean?"

"Samuel is investigating corruption throughout the court system, and our problems will be addressed in this investigation. I believe that Governor Roosevelt will win this battle."

Isabella looked at him with a complicated expression.

"Arthur, how can you be so sure?"

"It's a secret, I'll tell you later," Arthur said with a mysterious smile.

Isabella didn't mind and said softly:

"No matter what, I will always support you. No matter what happens, I will always be on your side."

Arthur looked at her, a warm feeling welling up inside him.

"Thank you, Isabella. With you by my side, I feel fearless."

"You're welcome. We're friends, aren't we?" Isabella blushed.

Arthur nodded.

"Yes, we are friends. And we are comrades-in-arms."

"What should we do now?" Isabella continued to ask.

"Let's continue doing what we're supposed to do. I'll continue writing articles, and you'll continue running the newspaper. We need to let more people know the truth and get more people to start thinking."

"And then there's the theater; we have to put on a good show. George Bernard Shaw and Walter Lippmann are both supporting us, and we can't let them down."

"I have a feeling this play will be a success. Not just an artistic success, but also a catalyst for change."

Isabella nodded.

"Then let's continue the fight."

"Yes, keep fighting. And we will win," Arthur said firmly.

The two looked at each other and smiled, their eyes filled with determination.