Guest Expert
by Allen K. Lang
Earth had a problem ... and the Martian visitor
had a very deadly means of solving it....
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories January 1951.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
"I'm only here to help you," said the man from Mars.
"You've proved that," the Secretary admitted. "In the six weeks thatyou've been here, you've wiped out rabies, measles, and the commoncold: but sir, this latest proposal of yours is blasphemous!"
The man from Mars waved an appendage in the direction of theSecretary's desk, atop which a newspaper was lying open. "Afterreading what that paper has to say can you still doubt that what Ipropose is necessary?"
The young man in uniform crossed the room and picked up the newspaper.He read the headlines aloud, bitterly: "INDIAN FAMINE ARMY STORMS NEWDELHI"; "TASMAN REPUBLIC BIDS FOR PLACE IN SUN"; "PLAGUE DECIMATESLOWER NILE."
"You could end that plague." The Assistant's voice was accusing.
"I could, of course. The battles and the starvation would still bewith you, though. Why do you persist in treating the symptoms insteadof the sickness? I am an objective observer, far enough away from yourproblems to see them clearly, something which no human can ever hopeto do. You Earthlings suffer war and famine and plague for one reasononly: that there are four and eight-tenths billion of you living on anEarth which can feed only about two and a half billion of you well.Gentlemen, the population of your planet must be reduced by one-half ifyour race is to survive."
"Couldn't we send our surplus population to Mars, or to Venus?" theAssistant asked.
The man from Mars winced. "The sands of Mars can't support cactuses,much less fields of wheat and rice and corn. Venus is a solid sea offormaldehyde solution." He glanced around to each of the three men inthe room. "To you, my scheme may seem heartless. But would it be morecruel to kill millions now than to allow billions to die in continualwar in the next thousand years? Do you remember your last such war?The Ukrainian wheatlands scorched to desert by the thermonuclears? NewEngland swept by epidemics of anthrax and tularemia? All China torturedby starvation and the hundred nagging sicknesses that follow hunger?"
"Yes, I remember." The Secretary rolled his pen between his fingers,staring at it. "How do you intend to—liquidate—the excess twobillions?"
"I can't explain it to you; you lack the basic knowledge. It will bequick and painless though, I promise. Then Earth will see peace andhope; a new start!"
"I couldn't take all the responsibility for this decision upon myself,"the Secretary said. He glanced hopefully toward the Assistant and theyoung man in uniform. Their eyes flinched away.
"You might take a vote," suggested the man from Mars. He picked up theSecretary's scratch pad and ripped off three sheets of paper. "Justmark Yes or No. I will respect your decision: after all, I'm onlyhere to help you."
The Secretary stared at the slip of paper lying on his desk. He glancedtoward the other two humans for encouragement; but the Assistant wasstaring at the wall across the room, and the young man in uniform wassilently contemplating the carpet at his feet.
Convulsively the Secretary scooched the paper toward him and scribbledhis vote. Folding the paper, he looked demandingly toward his twocompanions. The young man in uniform looked up, then turned to hold hispaper against the w