by Robert Reed
the Alumni and extolled the magnificent work Baker was doing in
the advancement of the cause of Science . It had been a very pleasant
association for both of them .
The door opened and Doris ushered Wily into the room . He came
forward with outstretched hands . “My dear Baker! Your secretary
said you had no objection to my coming up immediately, so I took
advantage of it . I didn’t hear about your terrible accident until yes-
terday . It’s so good to know that you were not more seriously hurt .”
“Thanks,” said Baker . “It wasn’t very bad . Come and sit down .”
Wily was a rather large, beetle-shaped man . He affected a small,
graying beard that sometimes had tobacco ashes in it .
THE GREAT GRAY PLAGUE, by Raymond F. Jones | 724
“Terrible loss to the cause of Science if your accident had been
more serious,” Wily was saying . “I don’t know of anyone who oc-
cupies a more critical position in our nation’s scientific advance than
you do .”
This was what had made him feel safe, secure, able to cope with
the problems of the world, Baker reflected. Wily represented Author-
ity, the highest possible Authority in the existing scientific culture.
But it had worked both ways, too . Baker had supplied a similar
counterpart for Wily . His degrees matched Wily’s own . He repre-
sented both Science and Government . The gift of a million dollars
expressed confidence on the part of the Government that Wily was
on the right track, that his activity was approved .
A sort of mutual admiration society, Baker thought .
“I suppose you are interested in the progress on your application
for renewal of Great Eastern’s grants,” said Baker .
Wily waved the subject away with an emphatic gesture . “Not
business today! I simply dropped in for a friendly chat after learn-
ing of your accident . Of course, if there is something to report, I
wouldn’t mind hearing it . I presume, however, the processing is fol-
lowing the usual routine .”
“Not quite,” said Baker slowly. “An increasing flood of applica-
tions is coming in, and I’m finding it necessary to adopt new pro-
cessing methods to cope with the problem .”
“I can understand that,” said Wily . “And one of the things I have
always admired most about your office is your ability to prevent
wastage of funds by nonqualified people. Qualifications in the sci-
entific world are becoming tighter every day. You have no idea how
difficult it is to get people with adequate backgrounds today. Men
of stature and authority seem to be getting rarer all the time . At any
rate, I’m sure we are agreed that only the intellectual elite must be
given access to these funds of your Bureau, which are limited at
best .”
Baker continued to regard Wily across the desk for a long mo-
ment . Wily was one of them, he thought . One of the most heavily
infected of all . Surround yourself with Authority . Fold it about you
THE GREAT GRAY PLAGUE, by Raymond F. Jones | 725
like a shell . Never step beyond the boundaries set by Authority . This
was George H . Wily, President of Great Eastern University . This
was a man stricken by the Great Gray Plague .
“I need a report,” said Baker . “For our new program of screening
I need a report of past performance under our grants . The last two
years would be sufficient, I think, from Great Eastern.”
Wily was disturbed . He frowned and hesitated . “I’m sure we
could supply such a report,” he said finally. “There’s never been any
question—”
“No question at all,” said Baker . “I just need to tally up the
achievements made under recent grants . I shall also require some
new information for the Index . I’ll send forms as soon as they’re
ready .”
“We’ll be more than glad to co-operate,” said Wily . “It’s just that
concrete achievement in a research program is sometimes hard to
pin point, you know . So many intangibles .”
“I know,” said Baker .
When Wily was gone, Baker continued sitting at his desk for a
long time . He wished fervently that he could talk with Sam Atkins
for just five minutes now. And he hoped Sam hadn’t gotten too
blistered by his mentors when he returned home after fluffing the
inquiry he was sent out on .
There was no chance, of course, that Baker would ever be able
to talk with Sam again . That one fortuitous encounter would have
to do for a lifetime . But Sam’s great cryptic statement was slowly
beginning to make sense: When you cease to be fearful of Authority,
you become Authority .
Neither Baker or Wily, or any of the members of Wily’s lock-step
staff were Authority . Rather, they all gave obeisance to the intangi-
ble Authority of Science, and stood together as self-appointed vicars
of that Authority, demanding penance for the slightest blasphemy
against it . And each one stood in living terror of such censure .
The same ghost haunted the halls of Government . The small-
est civil servant, in his meanest incivility, could invoke the same
THE GREAT GRAY PLAGUE, by Raymond F. Jones | 726
reverence for that unseen mantle of Authority that rested, however
falsely, on his thin shoulders .
The ghost existed in but one place, the minds of the victims of the
Plague . William Baker had ceased to recognize or give obeisance
to it . He was beginning to understand the meaning of Sam Atkins’
words .
He was quite sure the grants to Great Eastern were going to di-
minish severely .
Within six months, the output from Clearwater College was phe-
nomenal . The only string that Baker had attached to his grants was
the provision that the National Bureau of Scientific Development be
granted the privilege of announcing all new inventions, discoveries,
and significant reports. This worked to the advantage of both par-
ties . It gave the college the prestige of association in the press with
the powerful Government agency, and it gave Baker the association
with a prominent scientific discovery.
During the first month of operation under the grant, Fenwick ap-
pointed a half dozen “uneducated” professors to his physical science
staff . These were located with Baker’s help because they had previ-
ously applied to NBSD for assistance .
The announcement of the developments of the projects of these
men was a kind of unearned windfall for both Baker and Fenwick
because most of the work had already been done in garages and
basements . But no one objected that it gave both Clearwater and
NBSD a substantial boost in the public consciousness .
During this period, Baker found three other small colleges of al-
most equal caliber with Clearwater . He made substantial grants to
all of them and watched their staffs grow in number and quality of
background that would have shocked George Wily into apoplexy .
Baker’s announcements of substantial scientific gains became the
su
bject of weekly press conferences .
And also, during this time, he lowered the ax on Great Eastern
and two other giants whose applications were pending . He cut them
THE GREAT GRAY PLAGUE, by Raymond F. Jones | 727
to twenty percent of what they were asking . A dozen of the largest
industrial firms were accorded similar treatment.
Through all this, Pehrson moved like a man in a nightmare . His
first impulse had been to resign. His second was to report the gross
mismanagement of NBSD to some appropriate congressman . Be-
fore he did either of these things the reports began to come in from
Clearwater and other obscure points .
Pehrson was a man in whom allegiance was easily swayed . His
loyalty was only for the top man of any hierarchy, and he suddenly
began to regard Baker with an amazed incredulity . It seemed akin
to witchcraft to be able to pull out works of near genius from the
dross material Baker had been supporting with his grants . Pehrson
wasn’t quite sure how it had been done although he had been present
throughout the whole process . He only knew that Baker had devel-
oped a kind of prescience that was nothing short of miraculous, and
from now on he was strictly a Baker man .
Baker was happy with this outcome . The problem of Pehrson had
been a bothersome one . Civil Service regulations forbade his dis-
placement . Baker had been undecided how to deal with him . With
Pehrson’s acceptance of the new methods, the entire staff swung
behind Baker, and the previous grumblings and complaints finally
ceased. He stood on top in his own office, at least, Baker reflected.
George H . Wily was not happy, however . He waited two full days
after receiving the announcement of NBSD’s grant for the coming
year . He consulted with his Board of Regents and then took a night
plane down to Washington to see Baker .
He was coldly formal as he entered Baker’s office. Baker shook
his hand warmly and invited him to sit down .
“I was hoping you’d drop in again when you came to town,” said
Baker . “I was sorry we had to ask you for so much new information,
but I appreciate your prompt response .”
Wily’s eyes were frosty . “Is that why you gave us only two hun-
dred thousand?” he asked .
Baker spread his hands . “I explained when you were here last
that we were getting a flood of applications. We have been forced to
THE GREAT GRAY PLAGUE, by Raymond F. Jones | 728
distribute the money much more broadly than in other years . There
is only so much to go around, you know .”
“There is just as much as you’ve ever had,” snapped Wily . “I’ve
checked on your overall appropriation . And there is no increase in
qualified applicants. There is a decrease, if anything.
“I’ve done a little checking on the grants you’ve made, Baker .
I’d like to see you defend your appropriation for that miserable little
school called Clearwater College . I made a detailed study of their
staff. They haven’t a single qualified man. Not one with a back-
ground any better than that of your elevator operator!”
Baker looked up at the ceiling . “I remember an elevator man who
became quite a first rate scientist.”
Wily glared, waiting for explanation, then snorted . “Oh, him—”
“Yes, him,” said Baker .
“That doesn’t explain your wasting of Government funds on such
an institution as Clearwater . It doesn’t explain your grants to—”
“Let me show you what does explain my grants,” said Baker . “I
have what I call the Index—with a capital I, you know—”
“I don’t care anything about your explanations or your Index!”
Wily exclaimed . “I’m here to serve notice that I represent the na-
tion’s interest as well as that of Great Eastern . And I am not going
to stand by silently while you mismanage these sacred funds the
way you have chosen to do in recent months . I don’t know what’s
happened to you, Baker . You were never guilty of such mistakes be-
fore . But unless you can assure me that the full normal grant can be
restored to Great Eastern, I’m going to see that your office is turned
inside out by the Senate Committee on Scientific Development, and
that you, personally, are thrown out .”
Wily glared and breathed heavily after his speech . He sat waiting
for Baker’s answer .
Baker gave it when Wily had stopped panting and turned to drum-
ming his fingers on the desk. “Unless your record of achievement is
better this year than it has been in recent years, Great Eastern may
not get any allotment at all next year,” he said quietly .
THE GREAT GRAY PLAGUE, by Raymond F. Jones | 729
Wily shaded toward deep red, verging on purple, as he rose .
“You’ll regret this, Baker! This office belongs to American Science.
I refuse to see it desecrated by your gross mismanagement! Good
day!”
Baker smiled grimly as Wily stormed out . Then he picked up the
phone and asked Doris to get Fenwick at Clearwater . When Fen-
wick finally came on, Baker said, “Wily was just here. I expected he
would be the one . This is going to be it . Send me everything you’ve
got for release. We’re going to find out how right Sam Atkins was!”
He called the other maverick schools he’d given grants, and the
penny ante commercial organizations he’d set on their feet . He gave
them the same message .
It wasn’t going to be easy or pleasant, he reflected. The biggest
guns of Scientific Authority would be trained on him before this was
over .
Drew Pearson had the word even before it reached Baker . Baker
read it at breakfast a week after Wily’s visit . The columnist said,
“The next big spending agency to come under the fire of Congres-
sional Investigation is none other than the high-echelon National
Bureau of Scientific Development. Dr. William Baker, head of the
Agency, has been accused of indiscriminate spending policies whol-
ly unrelated to the national interest . The accusers are a group of elite
universities and top manufacturing organizations that have benefited
greatly from Baker’s handouts in years past . This year, Baker is ac-
cused of giving upwards of five million dollars to crackpot groups
THE GREAT GRAY PLAGUE, by Raymond F. Jones | 730
and individuals who have no standing in the scientific community
whatever .
“If these charges are true, it is difficult to see what Dr. Baker is
up to. For many years he has had an enviable record as a tight-fisted,
hard-headed administrator of these important funds . Congress in-
tends to find out what’s going on. The watchdog committee of Sena-
tor Landrus is expected to call an investigation early next week .”
Baker was notified that same afternoon.
Senator Landrus was a big, florid man, who moved about a com-
mittee hearing chamber with the ponderous smoothness of a luxury
liner . He was never visited by a single doubt about the rightness
of his chosen course—no
matter how erratic it might appear to an
onlooker . His faith in his established legislative procedures and in
the established tenets of Science was complete . Since he wore the
shield of both camps, his confidence in the path of Senator Robert
Landrus was also unmarred by questions .
Baker had faced him many times, but always as an ally . Now,
recognizing him as the enemy, Baker felt some small qualms, not
because he feared Landrus, but because so much was at stake in this
hearing . So much depended on his ability to guide the whims and
uncertainties of this mammoth vessel of Authority .
There was an unusual amount of press interest in what might
have seemed a routine and unspectacular hearing . No one could re-
call a previous occasion when the recipients had challenged a Gov-
ernment handout agency regarding the size of the handouts . While
Landrus made his opening statement several of the reporters fiddled
with the idea of a headline that said something about biting the hand
that feeds . It wouldn’t quite come off .
Wily was invited to make his statement next, which he did with
icy reserve, never once looking in Baker’s direction . He was fol-
lowed by two other university presidents and a string of laboratory
directors . The essence of their remarks was that Russia was going to
beat the pants off American researchers, and it was all Baker’s fault .
THE GREAT GRAY PLAGUE, by Raymond F. Jones | 731
This recital took up all of the morning and half the afternoon of
the first day. A dozen or so corporation executives were next on the
docket with complaints that their vast facilities were being hamstrung
by Baker’s sudden switch of R & D funds to less qualified agents.
Baker observed that the ones complaining were some of those who
had never spent a nickel on genuine research until the Government
began buying it . He knew that Landrus had not observed this fact . It
would have to be called to the senator’s attention .
By the end of the day, Landrus looked grave . It was obvious that
he could see nothing but villainy in Baker’s recent performance .
It had been explained to him in careful detail by some of the most
powerful men in the nation . Baker was certainly guilty of criminal
negligence, if not more, in derailing these funds which Congress had