“Not so temporary as you think,” the technician replied. “This country has allowed itself to get deeply enmeshed in punch-card and tape records. Oh, it made sense enough. With the population we have, and the endless files that result from our ultra-complicated society, it was simply a matter finally of developing a standardized system of records for the nation as a whole. Now, for all practical purposes, _all_ of our records these days are kept with the Department of Records, confidential as well as public records. Why should a university, for instance, keep literally tons of files, with all the expense and space and time involved, when it can merely file the same records with the governmental department and have them safe and easily available at any time? Now, the Movement has completely and irrevocably destroyed almost all files that deal with the social-labels to which we object. An excellent first step, in forcing our country back into judgment based on ability and intelligence.” “First step!” Larry blurted. The two prisoners looked at him. “That’s right,” the quieter of the two said. “This is just the first step.” “Don’t kid yourselves,” Ben Ruthenberg snapped at them. “It’s also the last!” The two members of the Movement grinned at him. ------------------------------------- When the others had gone, the Boss looked at Larry Woolford. He said sourly, “When this department was being formed, I doubt anyone had in mind this particular type of subversion, Lawrence.” Larry grunted. “Give me a good old-fashioned Commie, any time. Look, sir, what are the Department of Justice boys going to do with those prisoners?” “Hold them on any of various charges. We’ve conflicted with the F.B.I. in the past on overlapping jurisdiction, but thank heavens for them now. Their manpower is needed.” Larry leaned forward. “Sir, we ought to take all members of the Movement we’ve already arrested, feed them a dose of Scop-Serum, and pressure them to open up on the organization’s operations.” His superior looked at him, waiting for him to continue. Larry said urgently, “Those two we just had in here thought the whole thing was a big joke. The first step, they called it. Sir, there’s something considerably bigger than this cooking. Uncle Sam might pride himself on the personal liberties guaranteed by this country, but unless we break this organization, and do it fast, there’s going to be trouble that will make this fouling of the records look like the minor matter those two jokers seemed to think it.” The Boss thought about that. He said slowly, “Lawrence, the Supreme Court ruled against the use of Scop-Serum. Not that it is over efficient, anyway. Largely, these so-called truth serums don’t accomplish much more than to lower resistance, slacken natural inhibitions, weaken the will.”