At this point she introduced Dick Harrison, saying that he had studied art and would assist her.
It seemed to me that the idea had possibilities. If anyone volunteered to do anything, it was sensible to let them try. She was given Bova Boulevard to experiment on. Soon she and Harrison had covered the street with amusing Chirico-like figures, without faces, dancing, jumping, cheering. From a distance, they did seem to stand up from the horizontal.
It was clever. But no pedestrian could bring themselves to walk on the figures, which meant the boulevard was virtually closed. It was clever, but it was a failure.
However I liked Elsa Lamont’s energy and ideas, and later appointed her to be secretary of Adminex.
Dick Harrison’s future was less distinguished.
In the space we used for our debating hall, many people were already assembled, discussing, arguing or laughing among themselves.
The subject that arose from the chatter and had to be formally addressed was how we should govern ourselves. Beau Stephens, who had long been released from his pillar together with his associates, suggested that he should be in command. His argument was that he remained a EUPACUS official and, when EUPACUS returned in strength, he would have to hand over affairs in an orderly and accountable manner.
Amid boos, his bid was turned down.
An argument broke out. The YEA faction did much shouting. Finally the tall bearded Muslim with whom I had already spoken, Aktau Badawi, rose to speak. He was born in the holy city of Qom, as he reminded us. It seemed that already his English was improving. Later I found that he was taking lessons from a fellow Muslim, Youssef Choihosla.
Badawi said that shouting was never to be trusted. In the Muslim faith there was a saying: ‘Do not walk on the Earth in insolence’. By and large, the Muslim nations rejected the present way of getting to any other planet; he was here only because he had been elected as a DOP. But he would not walk on Mars in insolence. He was content to be governed, if he could be governed wisely, by people who did not shout. But, he asked, how could they be governed if there was no money? If there was no money, then no taxes could be raised. Hence there could be no government.
A thoughtful silence fell. This point had not been made before.
I said that we needed an ad hoc government. It need only rule for a transitional period, until our new way of life was established. It would quietly wither away when everyone had ‘got the message’.
What did I mean by that? I was asked.
‘All must understand that our limitations hold within them great possibilities for constructive life modes. We are operating in a radically new psychological calculus.’
Rather to my surprise, this was accepted. Then came the question of what the government should be called. After a number of suggestions, some ribald, we settled for ‘Administration Executive’, or Adminex for short.
We talked about the question of incentives. Not everyone could be expected to work for good will alone. Something had to replace money by way of incentive.
Not on that momentous day but later, when Adminex held its first meeting, we drew up a rough schedule. Men and women could not be idle. To flavour the pot, incentives were necessary, at least at first. The degree of participation in work for the common good would be rewarded by so many square yards of floor living space. Status could be enhanced. Plants had scarcity value, and would serve as rewards for minor effort.
A common Teaching Experience should be established. We had already seen how separation from the mother planet downstairs had engendered a general wish to stand back and consider the trajectory of one’s own life. Personal life could itself be improved – which was surely one of the aims of a just and decent society.
Benazir Bahudur, the sculptor and teacher, spoke up shyly. ‘Excuse me, but for our own protection we must establish clear prescriptions. Such as the rules governing water consumption. Increase of personal water consumption must not be on offer as a reward for anything; it would lead only to quarrels and corruption.