Атлант расправил плечи
The Moratorium on Brains
DaveMitchumwasnotgoodatunderstandingproblemsofengineeringandtransportation,butheunderstoodmenlikeCliftonLocey.HeunderstoodthekindofgametheNewYorkexecutiveswereplayingandwhattheywerenowdoingtohim.TheorderdidnottellhimtogiveMr.Chalmersacoal-burningengine—just"anengine."Ifthetimecametoanswerquestions,wouldn’tMr.LoceygaspinshockedindignationthathehadexpectedadivisionsuperintendenttoknowthatonlyaDieselenginecouldbemeantinthatorder?TheorderstatedthathewastosendtheCometthrough"safely"—wasn’tadivisionsuperintendentexpectedtoknowwhatwassafe?—"andwithoutunnecessarydelay."Whatwasanunnecessarydelay?Ifthepossibilityofamajordisasterwasinvolved,wouldn’tadelayofaweekoramonthbeconsiderednecessary?
TheNewYorkexecutivesdidnotcare,thoughtMitchum;theydidnotcarewhetherMr.Chalmersreachedhismeetingontime,orwhetheranunprecedentedcatastrophestrucktheirrails;theycaredonlyaboutmakingsurethattheywouldnotbeblamedforeither.Ifheheldthetrain,theywouldmakehimthescapegoattoappeasetheangerofMr.Chalmers;ifhesentthetrainthroughanditdidnotreachthewesternportalofthetunnel,theywouldputtheblameonhisincompetence;theywouldclaimthathehadactedagainsttheirorders,ineithercase.
