seen the previous batches of refugees foresighted enough to
get out any goods of value before starting off? And as for labor, all
our workers are now so heavily subsidized by the dole that to cut wages
another cent--"

"Ha'penny," corrected General Thario.

"Centime if you like. --would be merely to increase our taxes."

"Well, well," he said. "I see I have been hasty. What did you have in
mind, Albert?"

"Retrenchment. Cut production; abandon the factories in the immediate
path of the Grass. Fix on reasonably safe spots to store depots of the
finished concentrates, others for raw materials. Or perhaps they might
be combined."

"What about the factories?"

"Smaller," I said. "Practically portable."

"Hum." He frowned. "You do intend to do business on a small scale."

"Minute," I confirmed.

"What about the mines? The steelmills, the oilfields, the airplane and
automobile factories? The shipyards?"

"Shut them down," I ordered. "Ruthlessly. Except maybe a few in
England."

"The countries where theyre located will grab them."

"There isnt a government in existence who would dare touch anything
belonging to Consolidated Pemmican. If any should come into existence
our individualistic friends would take care of the situation."

"Pay gangsters to overturn governments?"

"They would hardly be legitimate governments. Anyway, a man has a right
to protect his property."

"Albert," he complained querulously, "youre condemning civilization to
death."

"General," I said, "youre talking like a wildeyed crackpot. A
businessman's concern is with business; he leaves abstractions to
visionaries. Our plants will be closed down, because until the Grass is
stopped they can make us no profit. Let some idealistic industrialist
take care of civilization."

"Albert, you know very well no business of any size can operate today
without your active support. Think again, Albert; listen to me as a
friend; we have been associated a long time and to some extent you have
taken Joe's place in my mind. Consider the larger aspects. Suppose you
don't make a profit? Suppose you even take a loss. You can afford to do
it for common humanity."

"I certainly think I do my share for common humanity, General Thario,
and it cuts me to the heart that you of all people should imply such a
sentimental and unjust reproach against me. You know as well as I do I
have given more than half my fortune to charitable works."

"Albert, Albert, need t