"Suppose you don't like the new land as well?" objected the Very Young Man. "Almost all land is of equal value," answered the Chemist. "And of course, its state of cultivation is always considered." "You were speaking about not having money," prompted the Very Young Man. "The idea is simply this: Suppose I wish to cultivate nothing except, let us say, certain vegetables. I register with the government my intention and the extent to which I propose to go. I receive the government's consent. I then take my crops as I harvest them and exchange them for every other article I need." "With whom do you exchange them?" asked the Doctor. "Any one I please--or with the government. Ninety per cent of everything produced is turned in to the government and other articles are taken from its stores." "How is the rate of exchange established?" asked the Big Business Man. "It is computed by the government. Private exchanges are supposed to be made at the same rate. It is against the law to cut under the government rate. But it is done, although apparently not with sufficient frequency to cause any trouble." "I should think it would be tremendously complicated and annoying to make all these exchanges," observed the Big Business Man. "Not at all," answered the Chemist, "because of the governmental system of credits. The financial standing of every individual is carefully kept on record." "Without any money? I don't get you," said the Very Young Man with a frown of bewilderment. The Chemist smiled. "Well, I don't blame you for that. But I think I can make myself clear. Let us take the case of Loto, for instance, as an individual. When he comes of age he will be allotted his section of land. We will assume him to be without family at that time, entirely dependent on his own resources." "Would he never have worked before coming of age?" the Very Young Man asked. "Children with parents generally devote their entire minority to getting an education, and to building their bodies properly. Without parents, they are supported by the government and live in public homes. Such children, during their adolescence, work for the government a small portion of their time. "Now when Loto comes of age and gets his land, located approximately where he desires it, he will make his choice as to his vocation. Suppose he wishes not to cultivate his land but to work for the government. He is given some congenial, suitable employment at which he works approximately five hours a day. No matter what he elects to do at the time he comes of age the government opens an account with him. He is credited with a certain standard unit for his work, which he takes from the government in supplies at his own convenience." "What is the unit?" asked the Big Business Man. "It is the average work produced by the average worker in one day--purely an arbitrary figure." "Like our word horse-power?" put in the Doctor. "Exactly. And all merchandise, food and labor is valued in terms of it.