"The plan is not without merit," Chandler said. "However, we've received almost as many plans as there are members on this commission." "Why not try all of them?" asked the Indonesian delegate. "Or, at least, a program involving several," Marta Neilson modified. "Atomic heat and possibly infra-red radiation." "We can't spread our efforts that thin," Chandler explained to the young woman. "Any one of these plans demands a concentration of money and effort such as the world has never known." "And one thing strikes me," Dr. White put in. "None of these plans hits at the basic cause. They all treat symptoms, save for the Canadian proposal, which is quite out of the question." "Are you getting back to freezing the Arctic Ocean again?" Kotenko challenged. "One X-bomb on the Bering Strait Dam," the Englishman said. "My dear Dr. White," returned the Russian, "the X-factor is best left under international ban." * * * * * The Englishman turned to the Canadian delegate. "Is it? Perhaps this is the time to screen your stop-motion studies of the destruction of Ottawa." "What purpose could that possibly serve?" Kotenko protested. "We've all seen the glacier first-hand." "It might well underscore the need for more action and less talk." "Then," said the Indian delegate, "by all means, let's see them." Again there was a murmur of approval. As the delegates rearranged their chairs to face the view-wall at the far end of the conference room, the Canadian pushed a button on a control console in front of him. The room lights dimmed. "This study was recorded at the rate of one frame a day by the Canadian Glacial Control Commission. Tonight it will be released over the World Video Network. While everyone has seen pictures of what is happening in Ottawa, nothing quite so dramatic as this has been shown." He pushed another button. The wall disappeared and Chandler felt he was actually looking across the rooftops of Ottawa, once the capital of Canada. At the edge of the business district loomed a massive wall of gray ice. It was pushing a ridge of boulders and dirt before it as it bore down on the city. The scene dissolved to a closer view of the glacier. As Chandler watched, fascinated, the glacier ground the city under like a huge bulldozer. And still it came on and, for a moment, looked as if it might flow right into the conference room. The lights came up and the wall became whole again. A few delegates swiveled their chairs back to the table; others continued gazing at the wall. "Now," said the Canadian, "you can see why our plan calls for a dramatic approach." "Tilting the Earth on its axis is quite out of the question," Dr. White said. "But freezing the Arctic and removing the source of the snow is practical." "And time-consuming," the Canadian added. But Chandler wasn't listening. A sudden dizziness swept over him. He felt strangely detached.