voices from the scientists, most of whom seemed to be trying to affirm
Silvers' position. This was offset by explosions of rage from the
senatorial members of the group.

Hockley let it go, not even raising his hands for order until finally
the racket died of its own accord as the eyes of the delegates came to
rest upon him.

And then, before he could speak, Markham was on his feet. "This is
absolutely moral treachery," he thundered. "I have never heard a more
vicious revocation of a pledged word than I have heard this evening.

"You men are not alone concerned in this matter. For all practical
purposes you are not concerned at all! And yet to take it upon
yourselves to pass judgment in a matter that is the affair of the entire
population of Earth--out of nothing more than sheer spite because the
Rykes refuse recognition of your own childish projects! I have never
heard a more incredible and infantile performance than you supposedly
mature gentlemen of science are expressing this evening."

He glared defiantly at Hockley, who was again the center of attention
moving carelessly to the center of the stage. "Anybody want to try to
answer the Senator?" he asked casually.

Instantly, a score of men were on their feet, speaking simultaneously.
They stopped abruptly, looking deferentially to their neighbors and at
Hockley, inviting him to choose one of them to be spokesman.

"Maybe I ought to answer him myself," said Hockley, "since I predicted
that this would occur, and that we ought to make a trial run before
turning our collective gray matter over to the Rykes."

A chorus of approval and nodding heads gave him the go ahead.

"The Senator is quite right in saying that we few are not alone in our
concern in this matter," he said. "But the Senator intends to imply a
major difference between us scientists and the rest of mankind. This is
his error.

"Every member of Mankind who is concerned about the Universe in which he
lives, is a scientist. You need to understand what a scientist is--and
you can say no more than that he is a human being trying to solve the
problem of understanding his Universe, immediate or remote. He is
concerned about the inanimate worlds, his own personality, his fellow
men--and the interweaving relationships among all these factors. We
professional scientists are no strange species, alien to our race. Our
only difference is perhaps that we undertake _more_ problems than does
the average of ou