"Very well. Then this is _our_ progress report. In the past forty years we have eliminated feudalism in all the more advanced countries. Even in the remote areas the pressures of our changing world are bringing them around. The populace of these countries will no longer stand to one side while the standard of living on the rest of Genoa grows so rapidly. On most of our planet, already the average family not only enjoys freedom but a way of life far in advance of that of Texcoco. Already modern housing and household appliances are everywhere. Already both land cars and aircraft are available to the majority. The nations have formed an Inter-Continental League of governments so that it is unlikely that war will ever touch us again. And this is merely a beginning. In ten years, continuing our freely competitive way of developing, all will be living on a scale that only the wealthy can afford today." He came to an end and stared antagonistically at the Texcocans. Taller said, "There seems to be no agreement." Across the table from him the ancient Honorable Russ said, "It is difficult to measure. We seem to count refrigerators and privately owned automobiles. You seem to ignore personal standards and concentrate on steel tonnage." The Texcocan scientist, Wiss, said easily, "Given the steel mills, and eventually automobiles and refrigerators will run off our assembly lines like water, and will be available for everyone, not just those who can afford to buy them." "Hm-m-m, eventually," Peter MacDonald laughed nastily. The atmosphere was suddenly hostile. Hostile beyond anything that had gone before in earlier conferences. And then Martin Gunther said without inflection, "I note that you have removed from the _Pedagogue's_ library the information dealing with nuclear fission." "For the purpose of study," Dick Hawkins said smoothly. "Of course," Gunther said. "Did you plan to return it in the immediate future?" "I'm afraid our studies will take some time," Watson said flatly. "I was afraid so," Gunther said. "Happily, I took the precaution of making microfilms of the material involved more than a year ago." Barry Watson pushed his chair back. "We seem to have accomplished what was possible by this conference," he said. "If anything." He looked to right and left at his cohorts. "Let's go." They came stiffly erect. Watson turned on his heel and started for the door. As they left, Natt Roberts turned for a moment and said to Gunther, "One thing, Martin. During this next ten years you might consider whether or not half a century has been enough to accomplish our task. Should we consider staying on? I would think the Co-ordinator would accept any recommendation along this line that we might make." The Genoese contingent looked after him, long after he was gone.