"You're going too fast for me. How do you figure that?"
"Unlike our idea of the Patrol as a coordinator of free and independent races, Morgan sees it as the perfect instrument of a Galactic dictatorship, thus: North America is the most powerful continent of Earth. The other continents will follow her lead—or else. Tellus can very easily dominate the other Solarian planets, and the Solar System can maintain dominance over all other systems as they are discovered and colonized. Therefore, whoever controls the North American Continent controls all space."
"I see. Could be, at that. Throw the Lensmen out, put his own stooges in. Wonder how he'll go about it? A tour de force? No. The next election, would be my guess. If so, that will be the most important election in history."
"If they decide to wait for the election, yes. I'm not as sure as you seem to be that they will not act sooner."
"They can't," Kinnison declared. "Name me one thing they think they can do, and I'll shoot it fuller of holes than a target."
"They can, and I am very much afraid that they will," Samms replied, soberly. "At any time he cares to do so, Morgan—through the North American Government, of course—can abrogate the treaty and name his own Council."
"Without my boys—the backbone and the guts of North America, as well as of the Patrol? Don't be stupid, Virge. They're loyal."
"Admitted—but at the same time they are being paid in North American currency. Of course, we will soon have our own Galactic credit system worked out, but...."
"What the hell difference would that make?" Kinnison wanted savagely to know. "You think they'd last until the next pay-day if they start playing that kind of ball? What in hell do you think I'd be doing? And Clayton and Schweikert and the rest of the gang? Sitting on our fat rumps and crying into our beers?"
"You would do nothing. I could not permit any illegal...."