First Lensman by E. E. Smith (epub e ink reader .TXT) 📕

“Just that it was another form of dictatorship that didn’t work out.”

“ ’⁠ ⁠… to which the Communist countries ever gave more than lip service. This adherence is all the more surprising, in view of the political situation then obtaining, in that all signatory nations obligated themselves to surrender national sovereignty in five highly significant respects, as follows:

“ ‘First, to permit Narcotics agents of all other signatory nations free, secret, and unregistered entry into, unrestricted travel throughout, and exit from, all their lands and waters, wherever situate:

“ ‘Second, upon request, to allow known criminals and known contraband to enter and to leave their territories without interference:

“ ‘Third, to cooperate fully, and as a secondary and not as a prime mover, in any Narcotics Patrol program set up by any other signatory nation:

“ ‘Fourth, upon request, to maintain complete secrecy concerning any Narcotics operation: and

“ ‘Fifth, to keep the Central Narcotics Authority fully and continuously informed upon all matters hereinbefore specified.’

“And apparently, Virge, it worked. If they could do that, ’way back then, we certainly should be able to make the Patrol work now.”

“You talk as though the situations were comparable. They aren’t. Instead of giving up an insignificant fraction of their national sovereignty, all nations will have to give up practically all of it. They will have to change their thinking from a National to a Galactic viewpoint; will have to become units in a Galactic Civilization, just as counties used to be units of states, and states are units of the continents. The Galactic Patrol will not be able to stop at being the supreme and only authority in inter-systemic affairs. It is bound to become intra-systemic, intra-planetary, and intra-continental. Eventually, it must and it shall be the sole authority, except for such purely local organizations as city police.”

“What a program!” Kinnison thought silently for minutes. “But I’m still betting that you can bring it off.”

“We’ll keep on driving until we do. What gives us our chance is that the all-Lensman Solarian Council is already in existence and is functioning smoothly; and that the government of North America has no jurisdiction beyond the boundaries of its continent. Thus, and even though Morgan has extralegal powers both as Boss of North America and as the head of an organization which is in fact inter-systemic in scope, he can do nothing whatever about the fact that the Solarian Council has been enlarged into the Galactic Council. As a matter of fact, he was and is very much in favor of that particular move⁠—just as much so as we are.”

“You’re going too fast for me. How do you figure that?”

“Unlike our idea of the Patrol as a coordinator of free and independent races, Morgan sees it as the perfect instrument of a Galactic dictatorship, thus: North America is the most powerful continent of Earth. The other continents will follow her lead⁠—or else. Tellus can very easily dominate the other Solarian planets, and the Solar System can maintain dominance over all other systems as they are discovered and colonized. Therefore, whoever controls the North American Continent controls all space.”

“I see. Could be, at that. Throw the Lensmen out, put his own stooges in. Wonder how he’ll go about it? A tour de force? No. The next election, would be my guess. If so, that will be the most important election in history.”

“If they decide to wait for the election, yes. I’m not as sure as you seem to be that they will not act sooner.”

“They can’t,” Kinnison declared. “Name me one thing they think they can do, and I’ll shoot it fuller of holes than a target.”

“They can, and I am very much afraid that they will,” Samms replied, soberly. “At any time he cares to do so, Morgan⁠—through the North American Government, of course⁠—can abrogate the treaty and name his own Council.”

“Without my boys⁠—the backbone and the guts of North America, as well as of the Patrol? Don’t be stupid, Virge. They’re loyal.”

“Admitted⁠—but at the same time they are being paid in North American currency. Of course, we will soon have our own Galactic credit system worked out, but.⁠ ⁠…”

“What the hell difference would that make?” Kinnison wanted savagely to know. “You think they’d last until the next payday if they start playing that kind of ball? What in hell do you think I’d be doing? And Clayton and Schweikert and the rest of the gang? Sitting on our fat rumps and crying into our beers?”

“You would do nothing. I could not permit any illegal.⁠ ⁠…”

“Permit!” Kinnison blazed, leaping to his feet. “Permit⁠—hell! Are you loose-screwed enough to actually think I would ask or need your permission? Listen, Samms!” The Port Admiral’s voice took on a quality like nothing his friend had ever before heard. “The first thing I would do would be to take off your Lens, wrap you up⁠—especially your mouth⁠—in seventeen yards of three-inch adhesive tape, and heave you into the brig. The second would be to call out everything we’ve got, including every half-built ship on Bennett able to fly, and declare martial law. The third would be a series of summary executions, starting with Morgan and working down. And if he’s got any fraction of the brain I credit him with, Morgan knows damned well exactly what would happen.”

“Oh.” Samms, while very much taken aback, was thrilled to the center of his being. “I had not considered anything so drastic, but you probably would.⁠ ⁠…”

“Not ‘probably,’ ” Kinnison corrected him grimly. “ ‘Certainly.’ ”

“… and Morgan does know⁠ ⁠… except about Bennett, of course⁠ ⁠… and he would not, for obvious reasons, bring in his secret armed forces. You’re right, Rod, it will be the election.”

“Definitely; and it’s plain enough what their basic strategy will be.” Kinnison, completely mollified, sat down and lit another cigar. “His Nationalist party is now in power, but it was our Cosmocrats of the previous administration who so basely slipped one over on the dear pee-pul⁠—who betrayed the entire North American Continent into the claws of rapacious wealth, no less⁠—by ratifying that unlawful, unhallowed,