ld plow billions into such items
and get some real use out of them. We both know that our weapons will
never be used--they can't be."

Jim ticked them off on his fingers. "We already are producing more farm
products than we know what to do with; if we build more dams it'll open
up new farm lands and increase the glut. If we build more and better
roads, it will improve transportation, which will mean fewer men will be
able to move greater tonnage--and throw transportation employees into
the unemployed. If we go all out for reforestation, it will eventually
bring down the price of lumber and the lumber people are howling
already. No," he shook his head, "there's just one really foolproof way
of disposing of surpluses and using up labor power and that's war--hot
or cold."

Vovo shrugged, "I suppose so."

"It amounts to building pyramids, of course." Jim twisted his mouth
sourly. "And since we're asking questions about each other's way of
life, when is your State going to begin to _wither away_?"

"How was that?" Vovo asked.

"According to your sainted founder, once you people came to power the
State was going to wither away, class rule would be over, and Utopia be
on hand. That was a long time ago, and your State is stronger than
ours."

Vovo snorted. "How can we wither away the State as long as we are
threatened by capitalist aggression?"

Jim said, "Ha!"

Vovo went on. "You know better than that, Jim. The only way my
organization can keep in power is by continually beating the drums,
keeping our people stirred up to greater and greater sacrifices by using
you as a threat. Didn't the old Romans have some sort of maxim to the
effect that when you're threatened with unease at home stir up trouble
abroad?"

"You're being even more frank than usual," Jim said. "But that's one of
the pleasures of these get-togethers, neither of us resorts to
hypocrisy. But you can't keep up these tensions forever."

"You mean _we_ can't keep up these tensions forever, Jim. And when they
end? Well, personally I can't see my organization going out without a
blood bath." He grimaced sourly, "And since I'd probably be one of the
first to be bathed, I'd like to postpone the time. It's like having a
tiger by the tail, Jim. We can't let go."

"Happily, I don't feel in the same spot," Jim said. He got up and went
to the picture window that took up one entire wall. It faced out over a
mountain vista. He looked soberly into the sky.

Vo