Changes

== "Do something" ==

== "Do something" ==

In October, the [[Internal Revenue Service]] placed a lien on all of Henry's accounts, for the settlement of a [[tax]] debt that Henry was sure that he did not actually owe. Then Henry received a summons to his old family home.  (He had moved out after Floyd Ferris had collected his signature on the patent release.) There, his mother, his now ex-wife, and brother were begging him to give his personal guarantee to pay their grocery bill. Henry asked them whether they would have him defraud the grocer into thinking that he actually owned the millions of dollars attributed to him, given that all his assets were under a tax lien.

On October 20, the steelworkers' union local of Rearden Steel demanded a raise in wages. But Henry found it out only from the newspapers. The union did not bother to go to Rearden; they made their demand to the Unification Board.

 

 

On October 31, the [[Internal Revenue Service]] placed a lien on all of Henry's accounts, for the settlement of a [[tax]] debt that Henry knew that he did not actually owe. On November 1, Tinky Holloway called Rearden. He apologized profusely for the tax-lien mixup, and then said that Henry could "straighten it all out" by coming to meet Holloway and several other Washington men at the Wayne-Falkland Hotel in New York, on the evening of November 4. Henry agreed to the appointment, mostly out of morbid curiosity.

 

On the morning of November 4, Henry received a summons to his old family home.  (He had moved out after Floyd Ferris had collected his signature on the patent release.) There, his mother, his now ex-wife, and brother were begging him to give his personal guarantee to pay their grocery bill. Henry asked them whether they would have him defraud the grocer into thinking that he actually owned the millions of dollars attributed to him, given that all his assets were under a tax lien.

Then Philip reminded him that he would not be able to vanish without money, and now he realized why his assets were frozen: the government was afraid that he would quit and vanish. Henry first accused his mother of being part of that plot, but then Philip let slip, "Mother didn't know it!" Henry contemptuously told Philip that he would not reveal to the looters' cabal who had blown the gaffe.

Then Philip reminded him that he would not be able to vanish without money, and now he realized why his assets were frozen: the government was afraid that he would quit and vanish. Henry first accused his mother of being part of that plot, but then Philip let slip, "Mother didn't know it!" Henry contemptuously told Philip that he would not reveal to the looters' cabal who had blown the gaffe.

As he turned to leave his house for what would turn out to be the last time, his mother asked him whether he was "really incapable of forgiveness." He said,{{cquote|No, mother, I am not. I would have forgiven the past, if today you had advised me to quit and disappear.}}

As he turned to leave his house for what would turn out to be the last time, his mother asked him whether he was "really incapable of forgiveness." He said,{{cquote|No, mother, I am not. I would have forgiven the past, if today you had advised me to quit and disappear.}}

He left his home and went to a meeting that several Washington men had urged him to attend, on the pretext that they could "straighten out" his tax situation. There he met James Taggart, Floyd Ferris, Wesley Mouch, and several other men, mostly from the Bureau of Economic Planning and Natural Resources. They spoke to him in several strange terms, and even spoke of protecting him from violence, but never explained what the violence might come from. Then they told him their true purpose: to implement the Steel Unification Plan, under which all of the steel firms in the country would share their revenues and be paid according to the blast furnaces they owned, regardless of productivity.

He left his home and went to the meeting. (In fact, it took place in Francisco d'Anconia's old hotel suite at the Wayne-Falkland.) There he met Tinky Holloway, James Taggart, Floyd Ferris, Wesley Mouch, and Gene Lawson. They spoke to him in several strange terms, and even spoke of protecting him from violence, but never explained what the violence might come from. Then they told him their true purpose: to implement the Steel Unification Plan, under which all of the steel firms in the country would share their revenues and be paid according to the blast furnaces they owned, regardless of productivity.

Henry pressed them on the details of the plan, and reminded them that such a plan would never be tenable for him. He also gave them another observation:{{cquote|All those...People's States only exist from the handouts that you men manage to give them. This country was the greatest and the last. You've drained it.}}

Henry pressed them on the details of the plan, and reminded them that such a plan would never be tenable for him. He also gave them another observation:{{cquote|All those...People's States only exist from the handouts that you men manage to give them. This country was the greatest and the last. You've drained it.}}