Атлант расправил плечи
The Moratorium on Brains
HedidnotknowthatheowedhispresentjobtoadealbetweenJamesTaggartandWesleyMouch:whenTaggarttradedtoMouchthesecretofhissister’sprivatelife,inexchangeforaraiseinrates,Mouchmadehimthrowinanextrafavor,bytheircustomaryrulesofbargaining,whichconsistedofsqueezingallonecouldoutofanygiventrade.TheextrawasajobforDaveMitchum,whowasthebrother-in-lawofClaudeSlagenhop,whowasthepresidentoftheFriendsofGlobalProgress,whowereregardedbyMouchasavaluableinfluenceonpublicopinion.JamesTaggartpushedtheresponsibilityoffindingajobforMitchumontoCliftonLocey.LoceypushedMitchumintothefirstjobthatcameup—superintendentoftheColoradoDivision—whenthemanholdingitquitwithoutnotice.ThemanquitwhentheextraDieselengineofWinstonStationwasgiventoChickMorrison’sSpecial.
"Whatarewegoingtodo?"criedDaveMitchum,rushing,half-dressedandgroggywithsleep,intohisoffice,wherethechiefdispatcher,thetrainmasterandtheroadforemanofengineswerewaitingforhim.
Thethreemendidnotanswer.Theyweremiddle-agedmenwithyearsofrailroadservicebehindthem.Amonthago,theywouldhavevolunteeredtheiradviceinanyemergency;buttheywerebeginningtolearnthatthingshadchangedandthatitwasdangeroustospeak.
"Whatinhellarewegoingtodo?"
"Onethingiscertain,"saidBillBrent,thechiefdispatcher.
