I awoke late after a rather restless night, caused by indecision in not knowing where to go or what to do after leaving Washington (realizing also that in all probability the decision would be left to me). I sat for some time pondering the various possibilities. It came to mind that without a doubt the Delegates would see things across this great land that they would never forget. Most of all, I wanted them to observe people and families in their daily lives, performing social responsibilities and at play in their leisure time, and to learn about their attitudes and enthusiasms. I thought it would be well to travel west by bus, train, and just play things by ear, so to speak, and let the Delegates decide where to go and where to stop. At breakfast I told the Delegates I would like for them to get as well acquainted with the people of North America as possible during their stay on this continent. When I asked them where they wanted to go first, they said, almost in unison, "Everywhere!" After realizing that their answer had put me at a disadvantage, they said, "Mr. Thorp, you just lead the way and we will follow." I called Transportation and stated that we needed a conveyance affording comfort for cross-country touring. In a short while three sightseeing coaches, pulled by a tractor, stopped in front of the hotel. To my surprise and pleasure, the coaches were equipped with intercom, allowing for a commentator and passenger conversation. After crossing the Potomac River, I attempted a commentary on the scenery and places we were passing. We hadn't traveled far when we saw a group of young people riding bicycles, on lanes that skirted the highway on both sides. Vera Jensen said, "Please, can we stop and talk to those people?"
I told the driver to pull over and wait for the cyclists. When the cyclists came to a stop on their lanes, separated only by a guardrail, I told them by public address system that we had foreign Delegates aboard who would like to talk to them. On my request they displayed radiant smiles. When the Delegates left the coaches and began making themselves known by name and country, the cyclists, as well as the Delegates, were completely overjoyed.
One young cyclist said, "Well, what do you know, I heard that they were in this country, but I never expected to meet them. Ah, I am certainly glad you stopped." Immediately the Delegates wanted to know where they were from, and what their social responsibilities were. One young woman carrying a child on a kiddy rack told the Delegates they were from Boston. She said, "Some of us are responsible for producing Boston bread and Boston beans. Some of the group are occupied in making furniture, while others are occupied with the Transportation Sequence."
When Miss Jensen asked them why they traveled by bicycle rather than by a more rapid conveyance, they told her they had traveled over the continent several times by rapid transit, and by doing so had missed so much of the scenery they were now enjoying. When they were asked how long they expected to be on the bicycle trip, one cyclist said, "Well, we are on our annual leave, which is seventy-eight days. If by chance we tire of bicycling we can deposit them and take other means of transportation, or just spend some time at anything or any location we choose." Mr. Proulx said to one cyclist, "I suppose that after your leave period is over you will dread going back to your responsibility?"
The cyclist replied, "On the contrary, we are occupied at doing the thing we like. Doing it only four hours per day, and four days out of seven, we actually vie for the opportunity of doing it. As a matter of fact, I, like the rest of the people in the division of the sequence, will gladly relieve someone who desires some extra leisure time." "Well, I will be darned," Mr. ProuIx said. "Then in reality your vocation is your avocation."
One cyclist said, "Before I forget it, next year several of this group plan to travel abroad. I am wondering if by chance we could visit you people?" Immediately, pens and pads came forth to take names and addresses.
After traveling through some beautiful country, which was heavily wooded in places, and seeing beautiful stands of orchard, plus agricultural activity, with large tractors pulling various pieces of equipment near some wonderful living complexes, one of the Delegates expressed the wish to do some shopping. As we approached Pittsburgh, I had the driver pull in at an exceptionally large living complex, where I was certain there would be an exceptionally large shopping center, affording a wide variety of products.
On entering the shopping center, Miss Vollnogle said, "I would like some wearing apparel to take home." After inspecting some garments, she said to the lady in charge of the department, "If I choose something here, how will I pay for it? Will I surrender the energy units I was given when I arrived in this country?" "One doesn't pay for things in North America," the lady said. "One only chooses what one wants and it is recorded, in order that the Continental Board of Directors can determine how much of what item or kind is to be produced in the next production time period. By such a method there will never be a shortage of goods or services. Choose what you like." Judging by her expression, Miss Vollnogle couldn't believe what she was hearing. When asked about the length of the production period, the lady told Mr. Van Vorhees it was a two-year period, because some agricultural crops required longer than one year to come to maturity. When I asked the Delegates why they were so skimpy about choosing wearing apparel, they informed me that it seemed as though they were taking something for nothing.
I reminded them about what the ecclesiastic said at the convention, about Christ saying that if God provides for the birds of the air, he also will provide for his children. I quoted the ecclesiastic's statement: "Christ plucked corn from the field on the Sabbath, and told his disciples that it was his Father's corn, and that he was his Father's son." The Delegates stood for some time with blank, unbelieving expressions on their faces. One Delegate said, "This is truly the millennium, and we are, by virtue of our conscience, committed to emulate it in our respective countries, that is, if we consider ourselves to be even half human." While the Delegates were standing awestruck with disbelief they began discussing the possibility of acquiring a similar social system in their respective countries. Suddenly realizing that daylight would soon be ending, I called the attendant of the complex and asked him about the possibility of putting us up for the night.
He informed me that, inasmuch as the complex had recently been completed and all the units hadn't been taken, he was certain we could stay the night, if, however, we didn't mind doubling in some of the quarters. In the massive dining hall the Delegates sat at the tables facing the occupants. Conversation became so prevalent that it was difficult to hear or be heard.
After dinner the local orchestra entered. The tables were moved back and dancing began. After some had danced to ballroom music, the people of different countries did native folk dances and attempted to teach the Americans how to do them. The rivalry became so great and the hour so late, I had to call a halt, reminding them that tomorrow would be another exciting day, and would require early rising.
After breakfast I put a call through to Harry Barnes, of the Iron and Steel Sequence, and informed him that I had a group of foreign Delegates in the vicinity of Pittsburgh, and would like to visit a division Of that sequence. He referred me to Ralph Aden, who heads the heavy equipment unit of that sequence, in Regional Division 7940.
When I informed Ralph Aden of my desire, he told me that the most interesting thing in that unit at present was the earthmoving equipment and cranes, which were being built to be used for the construction of canals, locks, and dams, which are being used by the Hydroelectric and Inland Waterway Sequence in various places over the continent. The various pieces of equipment included massive canal diggers that traveled along and completed a canal in one operation, as it moved along. There were massive power shovels, for loading massive trucks, as well as massive cement mixers. He told me that the various pieces of equipment were sent to various construction sites and assembled on arrival, but at present there was a prototype of each piece of equipment assembled and on display in the yards, which would shortly be disassembled and shipped to some of the other locations.
He said, "By all means, bring your visitors over, and our people will show them around and answer their questions. If I am not present when you arrive, just call me on the intercom."
On our arrival Ralph Aden took us on a tour of the yards, which included a massive foundry and a machine shop. They were so huge that it became tiring to walk through them. The Delegates were so engrossed in what they were seeing that they didn't seem to mind.
In some areas, we were required to don hard hats and goggles for our safety. At many operations we would stop and look in awe at the activity and ask questions of the operators. The operators were very courteous and explained in detail the operation of the various machines, of which a great many were operated by computers. The Delegates were amazed at the cleanliness of the area, and at the temperature and air conditioning.
It was pleasing to me when the operator of a machine would patiently answer questions posed by the Delegates, of which some, no doubt, sounded very puerile to the operator. For example, a turbaned Delegate asked, through his interpreter, how the operator could bore cylinders and keep them normal to a given base.
The operator explained that the machine was set for the automatic operation, and in no way could vary from its course. The Delegate was very grateful, and thanked him with a bow. One Delegate asked an inspector (who was wearing a magnifying glass, and applying an inside micrometer) if his function was strenuous and tiresome to his eyes.
The inspector replied that it was somewhat strenuous, but that he was on duty for only four hours, and was relieved for fifteen minutes at the end of two hours by a relief man. After some two hours in the shop, we were conducted through the display yard to inspect the various prototype machines, of which there were some massive ones that are beyond description. The Delegates simply went wild when they were told by Ralph Aden to climb aboard and sit in the operator's seat and maneuver the operating controls.
They were like little children with a new toy when taking their turn at the controls. I think Sheik Omar of Arabia enjoyed it more than any, because he sat at the controls of a massive power shovel longer than most. The scene of him sitting in the operator's seat and pulling the various levers (dressed in a flowing gown and headgear) appeared completely incongruous.
As strange as it seems, I think, both Ralph and I were enjoying the event just as much as the Delegates, because when I said, "Ralph, do you think we will ever get them away from here?" he said, "Let them be, because they are having an experience they will never forget." Like children tiring of a toy, they eventually all climbed down from the equipment and stood for some time just looking.
Eventually someone said, "What's next?" In spite of Ralph's responsibility of heading the equipment unit, he is a very humorous person, because on hearing some- one say "What's next?" he turned his head and put his handkerchief over his mouth to stifle a grin and said, "Tell you what, it is almost time for the shift change, and the personnel leaving shift usually go to the cafeteria to discuss the shift's progress rather than leave the yard. Let’s go to the cafeteria for refreshments and sit through the discussion session. Perhaps there are questions you will want to ask them."
When we arrived at the cafeteria, the equipment personnel were arriving also. It seemed deliberate that the plant personnel seated themselves opposite the Delegates. It also seemed that con- versation precluded the eating of good food, because of the many questions being asked and answered. They were asking the Delegates about schools, their modes of transportation, their form of government, and their recreational facilities. They became so carried away with asking questions, that one young man asked the sheik if his people still used the camel as a mode of transportation. Sheik Omar said, "The camel is ridden occasionally by some of our people when they wish to travel long distances over un- paved terrain. Personally, I prefer the Arabian horse for sport, and the Rolls Royce automobile for comfort in traveling." Eventually the questions were reversed, and the plant personnel were answering questions about their schooling, travels, and recreational preferences. Miss Jensen, of Norway, asked Ralph how it was determined who is in responsible positions, and if perhaps some positions offered greater prestige and consuming power than others.
The question caught Ralph off guard, and he almost choked on a mouthful of salad. After he had swallowed the salad and gained some composure he said, "Prestige? Prestige? Prestige and greater consuming power, you say? Miss, what would you have us do, retrogress to an antiquated social system? Good gracious, miss, if anyone here thinks that my position of responsibility affords more prestige, I will gladly change places with them. Our consuming power is equal, and, as to prestige, someone else can have it, because all I get from it is added responsibility. No, I don't think anyone here envies my position of responsibility. As for determining who assumes responsibility, that is decided by the democratic process of the personnel in this unit. "Believe me, when there is an opening of responsibility to be filled, everyone, but everyone, is skittish about accepting it, even after they have been recommended for it by their fellows, for fear of added responsibility and doubt of their ability to assume it. "Getting away from the emotional aspect, and back to your question, when a vacancy is to be filled there are nominations from those in the immediate unit activity, and appointments come from above. Yes, we in North America have the only true de- mocracy the world has ever known. Because no one, other than personnel in the heavy equipment unit of the Iron and Steel Sequence, has anything to say about how a piece of equipment is to be built once we have the specification of what is needed. By the same token, we in this sequence have no voice in where, or how, a hospital is to be built, or how high a dam is to be built, or how many potatoes are to be grown. The only voice we have in things, other than our own sequence, is by our consuming power, because just now, while eating this salad, I am determining that more vegetables are to be grown. By this method, we enjoy the maximum of personal choice and selectivity. "In the antiquated concept of democracy," he said, "everyone was thought sufficiently intelligent to vote on issues concerning social affairs, but people were, for the most part, incompetent to make social decisions. Even the elected political office holders of the past, never, to my knowledge, trusted the citizenry to vote on vital issues, such as national debt, war, or the amount of tax on products, property, or income. "During the price system era," he said, "the American people were never represented by the political office holders, unless they had sufficient capital to employ someone to lobby for them. "Yes, Miss Jensen, the concept of prestige and the status symbol was only for a bygone age," he said, "where everyone was attempting to chisel someone, and the most clever and ruthless chiseler acquired status through ostentatious display."
Realizing her innocence and lack of knowledge of our new Social Dynamic, I said, "Ralph, you are a bit rough on the young lady. You must realize that this mode of social operation is a complete departure from anything she has ever experienced, and it is only natural for her to pose that kind of question." Ralph had made apologies, Miss Jensen attempted to assure Ralph that there were no bad feelings on her part, by saying, "Mr. Aden, what I really meant to ask was: What incentive is there for one to achieve a higher position of responsibility?"
I was suddenly frozen with fear, with the realization that such a question could cause dire results. It almost did, because Ralph's face grimaced and his eyes snapped. It was evident that he was planning words of castigation. Then suddenly he realized her innocence and his eyes sparkled with humor. He said, "Miss Jensen, 1, like most every American, couldn't care less about one's incentive. All we are concerned with is one's initiative. For ex- ample, miss, the socially objectionable acts of the Mafia and the gangster element, the holdup men, and the kidnapper of the old order were motivated by incentive. The act of rape is motivated by incentive. Men of that physical and mental makeup are, in our new social order, corrected physically or placed in an institution where they can harm no one."
He said, "No, Miss Jensen, on this continent, we are only interested in what people can contribute to society, not why they do it." Miss Jensen replied by saying, "Whether or not you people realize it, or profess it, you are Christians by virtue of your social order." When Ralph was seeing us off on the bus train, he beckoned me aside and said, "Edward, what possesses people to ask such unreasonable questions? Haven't you told them anything about our new social order?" I said, "Ralph, I have, many times, but in many instances repetition is required, especially in view of the fact that people have been conditioned to a price system for the past seven thousand years, and to suddenly be met head-on with a complete departure in social concept is enough to really foul up the symbols in their mind. Just give me time, and with the help of people like yourself, of which I am quite certain there will be many before they leave this continent, I am certain, when they depart, the symbols in their mind will have been rearranged sufficiently that they will have no doubt of what type of social order is the most civilized and humane."
We drove west from Pittsburgh and saw beautiful countryside. We stopped for a short while at an animal husbandry compound to inspect the various kinds of animals. We walked down corridors to inspect sows with litters of pigs. The swine were of all different breeds. We inspected massive corral pens, where beef cattle were being fed in preparation for slaughter; then inspected a slaughterhouse and freezing unit. Some of the Delegates had never witnessed the slaughtering of animals, and became quite sickened by the sight, but were impressed with the fine parts of beef and pork that were being prepared for shipment to centers of consumption. As we were leaving the packinghouse, Mr. Hans Hurtz, of Germany, said, "The absence of animal residue has me wondering. What is being done with it?"
I told him to look across the way, at the truck dumping it in massive vats, for fermentation. After a period of fermentation, the methane gas is drawn off, and the compressor pumps it into tanks under sufficient pressure to liquefy it. I said, "Methane gas is the energy that is powering our vehicle, and we are conserving petroleum for other purposes, and for posterity." When he asked what was done with the residue after the gas is extracted, I told him it was used to fertilize the soil, and reminded him that it had enhanced the production of the fine vegetables that went into making the salad he had recently eaten at the equipment cafeteria.
It being late in the day when we boarded the bus train, I directed the driver to stop at Columbus for the night. At dinner I noted that some of the group were engaged in a rather quiet subdued conversation, speaking in their own tongue. I became rather concerned about their attitude, fearing that perhaps discontent was brewing, until Mr. Combo, of Nigeria, asked through his interpreter about racial conditions and attitudes in North America.
Mr. Combo said, "Mr. Thorp, I noted that many of the people engaged in the building of the equipment at Pittsburgh were black. I was especially surprised to note that Mr. Ralph Aden was a black man. I wanted very much to ask him about racial conditions, but I being black hesitated to ask him in a mixed racial group. Could you explain how racial integration came about?"
The question put me at some disadvantage for some time. After some thought I said, "Mr. Combo, the racial condition that existed prior to our new social order causes me embarrassment. I am embarrassed that the Caucasian people, of which many were Christians, and of whom I am a descendant, would take advantage of the black people to the degree of subjugating them into slavery, and treating them as work animals and chattel property. The black man's lack of educational advantage, and his subordinate conditioning, caused him to suffer many miseries and privations. Even President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which legally and technically set him free, was of little moment in alleviating his misery and privation, for many years to follow. "The first thing to alleviate that condition to some degree," I said, "was the mechanization of agriculture, eliminating much of the strenuous labor he had been relegated to for so many years. "When the black man was no longer needed to pick cotton or cut cane, he found himself without a means of livelihood or mere existence, if you will, so the only place he could go was north, to the more industrial centers, in hope of finding employment. "The white people of the north, whose forefathers erroneously thought they had helped to set the black man free, didn’t necessarily dislike the black man. Rather, their thoughts of him as an economic competitor caused segregation and prejudice, thus resulting in many white men leaving the city to take up residence in suburban districts, and thereby letting many sections of the cities deteriorate to a shambles, which became known as the ghetto. "Yes, Mr. Combo," I said, "when monetary consideration is absent, people become civilized and humane, regardless of the color of their skin, and they develop a conduct that is befitting civilized people."
After the brief explanation of the racial situation, Mr. Combo said, "Thank you, Mr. Thorp, I shall set my people straight on this issue, so that, henceforth, they will think of the white man as a friend-rather than an enemy." After having such a full and interesting day, I bid the group good night. Sensing that no one was following me as I walked away, I looked back to see a group of people so engrossed in conversation that it is doubtful if they saw me leave.
This was chapter 7 on to chapter 8