e, quadruple their production of such war
materiel as ships and aircraft in a matter of mere months. Obviously,
a thousand bottlenecks appeared. All was confusion. So they resorted
to expediters. Extremely competent efficiency engineers whose sole
purpose was to seek out such bottlenecks and eliminate them. A hundred
aircraft might be kept from completion by the lack of a single part.
The expediter found them though they be as far away as England, and
flew them by chartered plane to California. A score of top research
chemists might be needed for a certain project in Tennessee, the
expediter located them, though it meant the stripping of valued men
from jobs of lesser importance. I need give no further examples. Their
powers were sweeping. Their expense accounts unlimited. Their
successes unbelievable." Number One's eyes went back to the piles of
food, as though he'd grown tired of so much talk.

Josip fidgeted, still uncomprehending.

While the Party leader built himself a huge sandwich of Dalmatian ham
and _pohovano pile_ chicken, Aleksander Kardelj put in an enthusiastic
word. "We're adapting the idea to our own needs, Comrade. You have
been selected to be our first expediter."

If anything, Josip Pekic was more confused than ever. "Expediter," he
said blankly. "To ... to expedite what?"

"That is for you to decide," Kardelj said blithely. "You're our
average Transbalkanian. You feel as the average man in the street
feels. You're our what the Yankees call, Common Man."

Josip said plaintively, "You keep saying that, but I don't know what
you mean, Comrade. Please forgive me, perhaps I'm dense, but what is
this about me being uh, the average man? There's nothing special about
me. I...."

"Exactly," Kardelj said triumphantly. "There's nothing special about
you. You're the average man of all Transbalkania. We have gone to a
great deal of difficulty to seek you out."

Number One belched and took over heavily. "Comrade, we have made extensive
tests in this effort to find our average man. You are the result. You are
of average age, of average height, weight, of education, and of
intelligence quotient. You finished secondary school, worked for several
years, and have returned to the university where you are now in your
second year. Which is average for you who have been born in your
generation. Your tastes, your ambitions, your ... dreams, Comrade Pekic,
are either known to be, or assumed to be, those of the average