d. "We are granting the Genoese political
freedoms as fast as they can assimilate them."

Joe Chessman growled, "But I imagine it's surprising to find just how
slowly they can assimilate. A moment ago you said they were free to form
any government they wished. Now you say you feed them what you call
freedom, only so fast as they can assimilate it."

"Obviously we encourage them along whatever path we think will most
quickly develop their economies," Mayer argued. "That's what we've been
sent here to do. We stimulate competition, encourage all progress,
political as well as economic."

Plekhanov lumbered to his feet. "Amschel, obviously nothing new has been
added to our respective positions by this conference. I propose we
adjourn to meet again at the end of the second decade."

Mayer said, "I suppose it would be futile to suggest you give up this
impossible totalitarian scheme of yours and reunite the expedition."

Plekhanov merely grunted his disgust.

Jerry Kennedy said, "One thing. What stand have you taken on giving your
planet immortality?"

"Immortality?" Watson said. "We haven't it to give."

"You know what I mean. It wouldn't take long to extend the life span
double or triple the present."

Amschel Mayer said, "At this stage progress is faster with the
generations closer together. A man is pressed when he knows he has only
twenty or thirty years of peak efficiency. We on Earth are inclined to
settle back and take life as it comes; you younger men are all past the
century mark, but none have bothered to get married as yet."

"Plenty of time for that," Watson grinned.

"That's what I mean. But a Texcocan or Genoese feels pressed to wed in
his twenties, or earlier, to get his family under way."

"There's another element," Plekhanov muttered. "The more the natives
progress the more nearly they'll equal our abilities. I wouldn't want
anything to happen to our overall plans. As it is now, their abilities
taper off at sixty and they reach senility at seventy or eighty. I think
until the end we should keep it this way."

"A cold-blooded view," Kennedy said. "If we extended their life
expectancy, their best men would live to be of additional use to planet
development."

"But they would not have our dream," Plekhanov rumbled. "Such men might
try to subvert us, and, just possibly, might succeed."

"I think Leonid is right," Mayer admitted with reluctance.

* * * * *

Late