me agreement," Wade went on.
"There are no states any more; just governmental districts. Based upon
sensible considerations of area and population. This isn't the
old-time expanding economy based on obsolescence and conspicuous
consumption. The primary problem at the moment is sheer survival. In
a way, the move makes sense. Old-fashioned political machinery
couldn't cope with the situation; there's no time for debate when
instantaneous decisions are necessary to national welfare. You've
heard how civil liberties were suspended during the old wars. Well,
there's a war on right now; a war against hunger, a war against the
forces of fecundity. In another dozen years or so, when the Leff shot
generation is fullgrown and a lot of the elderly have died off, the
tensions will ease. Meanwhile, quick action is necessary. Arbitrary
action."

"But you're defending dictatorship!"

Richard Wade made a sound which is usually accompanied by a derisive
shrug. "Am I? Well, I didn't when I was outside. And that's why I'm
here now."

Harry Collins cleared his throat. "What did you do?"

"If you refer to my profession, I was a scripter. If you refer to my
alleged criminal activity, I made the error of thinking the way you
do, and the worse error of attempting to inject such attitudes in my
scripts. Seems that when Congress was formally dissolved, there was
some notion of preparing a timely show--a sort of historical review of
the body, using old film clips. What my superiors had in mind was a
comedy of errors; a cavalcade of mistakes and misdeeds showing just
why we were better off without supporting a political sideshow. Well,
I carried out the assignment and edited the films, but when I drafted
a rough commentary, I made the mistake of taking both a pro and con
slant. Nothing like that ever reached the telescreens, of course, but
what I did was promptly noted. They came for me at once and hustled me
off here. I didn't get a hearing or a trial, either."

"But why didn't they execute you? Or--" Harry hesitated--"is that what
you expect?"

"Why didn't they execute _you_?" Wade shot back. He was silent for a
moment before continuing. "No, I don't expect anything like that, now.
They'd have done it on the spot if they intended to do so at all. No,
I've got another idea about people like you and myself. And about some
of the Congressmen and Senators who dropped out of sight, too. I think
we're being stockpiled."

"Stockpiled?"

"It