trocious
propaganda--"

"I was not referring to another human regime. The human being is, at
best, save for certain choice spirits, unsympathetic to the arts. We
outworlders have a far greater respect for things of the mind."

Paul opened his mouth; Ivo continued without giving him a chance to
speak, "No doubt you have often wondered just what I am doing here on
Earth?"

The question had never crossed Paul's mind. Feeling vaguely guilty, he
murmured, "Some people have funny ideas of where to go for a vacation."

"I am here on business," Ivo told him. "The situation on Sirius is
serious."

"You know, that's catchy! 'The situation on Sirius is serious'," Paul
repeated, tapping his foot. "I've often thought of trying my hand at a
musical com--"

"I mean we have had a ser--grave population problem for the last couple
of centuries, hence our government has sent out scouts to look for other
planets with similar atmosphere, climate, gravity and so on, where we
can ship our excess population. So far, we have found very few."

When Paul's attention was focused, he could be as quick as anybody to
put two and two together. "But Earth is already occupied. In fact, when
I was in school, I heard something about our having a population problem
ourselves."

"The other planets we already--ah--took over were in a similar state,"
Ivo explained. "We managed to surmount that difficulty."

"How?" Paul asked, though he already suspected the answer.

"Oh, we didn't dispose of _all_ of the inhabitants. We merely weeded out
the undesirables--who, by fortunate chance, happened to be in the
majority--and achieved a happy and peaceful coexistence with the rest."

"But, look," Paul protested. "I mean to say----"

"For instance," Ivo said suavely, "take the vast body of people who
watch television and who have never seen a legitimate play in their
lives and, indeed, rarely go to the motion pictures. Surely they are
expendable."

"Well, yes, of course. But even among them there might be--oh, say, a
playwright's mother--"

"One of the first measures our regime would take would be to establish a
vast network of community theaters throughout the world. And you, Paul,
would receive first choice of starring roles."

"Now wait a minute!" Paul cried hotly. He seldom allowed himself to lose
his temper, but when he did ... he got _angry_! "I pride myself that
I've gotten this far wholly on my own merits. I don't believe in using
influence t