Changes

== The unraveling ==

== The unraveling ==

[[Mr. Thompson]] prepared to address the nation on November 22, 1929, to deliver a report on the world crisis. But fifteen minutes before he was to speak, all the [[radio]] and [[television]] stations were jammed. Then at the appointed hour, a voice spoke through the jamming: a voice identifying itself as that of [[John Galt]], a name that Ferris had known only as part of a slang phrase. The man calling himself John Galt took credit for the economic collapse, and for three hours essentially said that he and all the other "men of the mind" were on [[strike]], and then called for a general strike of anyone else whom he personally had not yet been able to reach.

[[Mr. Thompson]] prepared to address the nation on November 22, 1957, to deliver a report on the world crisis. But fifteen minutes before he was to speak, all the [[radio]] and [[television]] stations were jammed. Then at the appointed hour, a voice spoke through the jamming: a voice identifying itself as that of [[John Galt]], a name that Ferris had known only as part of a slang phrase. The man calling himself John Galt took credit for the economic collapse, and for three hours essentially said that he and all the other "men of the mind" were on [[strike]], and then called for a general strike of anyone else whom he personally had not yet been able to reach.

That John Galt was who he said he was, neither Ferris nor Mr. Thompson nor anyone else in Congress or the administration could doubt—not after Galt specifically named several of the vanished men in his speech. (Galt also named [[Robert Stadler]] as one who had allowed his mind to enter the service of destruction rather than construction.)

That John Galt was who he said he was, neither Ferris nor Mr. Thompson nor anyone else in Congress or the administration could doubt—not after Galt specifically named several of the vanished men in his speech. (Galt also named [[Robert Stadler]] as one who had allowed his mind to enter the service of destruction rather than construction.)

Robert Stadler surprised Ferris by showing a rare flash of insight. Realizing that John Galt would never cooperate voluntarily with the government or anyone in it, Stadler urged the government to have Galt killed out-of-hand.

Robert Stadler surprised Ferris by showing a rare flash of insight. Realizing that John Galt would never cooperate voluntarily with the government or anyone in it, Stadler urged the government to have Galt killed out-of-hand.

A few days later, John Galt was found—in New York! Mr. Thompson had him kept under guard in the penthouse suite of the Wayne-Falkland Hotel in New York. He and many other men tried to persuade John Galt to cooperate with the government and accept the post of Economic Dictator of the country. Ferris knew that Galt would never accept that and nearly ran out of patience with Mr. Thompson.

 

On February 22, 1958, John Galt was found—in New York! Mr. Thompson had him kept under guard in the penthouse suite of the Wayne-Falkland Hotel in New York. He and many other men tried to persuade John Galt to cooperate with the government and accept the post of Economic Dictator of the country. Ferris knew that Galt would never accept that and nearly ran out of patience with Mr. Thompson.

Then Mr. Thompson invited Ferris to interview Galt directly. Ferris' message to Galt was direct and to the point: if Galt did not cooperate, then the government might have to execute some of the feeblest people in order that the stronger ones might live. Mr. Thompson, coward that he was, protested that Ferris did not mean it. John Galt replied that of course Ferris had meant every word that he had said—a deduction for which Ferris could not help but feel a grudging admiration—and then indicated his refusal to hold his own "moral stature...at the mercy of" the actions of Ferris or anyone else. Mr. Thompson then peremptorily ordered Ferris out of the room. Ferris could do nothing other than retreat—for now.

Then Mr. Thompson invited Ferris to interview Galt directly. Ferris' message to Galt was direct and to the point: if Galt did not cooperate, then the government might have to execute some of the feeblest people in order that the stronger ones might live. Mr. Thompson, coward that he was, protested that Ferris did not mean it. John Galt replied that of course Ferris had meant every word that he had said—a deduction for which Ferris could not help but feel a grudging admiration—and then indicated his refusal to hold his own "moral stature...at the mercy of" the actions of Ferris or anyone else. Mr. Thompson then peremptorily ordered Ferris out of the room. Ferris could do nothing other than retreat—for now.