HAUSER. Quite right! Frau Lund—tell him—why shouldn't he?
BEERMANN. Because I am a novice in politics? We all have to make a start.
HAUSER. It's the only calling where one can start any day, Frau Lund, without being called upon to produce qualifications.
BOLLAND. There you can tell the lawyer. You'd like to establish a civil service examination for members of the Reichstag?
HAUSER. You are not afraid that it might hurt them?
BEERMANN [with importance]. Let me tell you, Judge. What a person achieves in real life is far greater than all your book wisdom. We have too many lawyers anyway. It's one of our national misfortunes.
FRAU LUND [merrily to Frau Beermann]. Look! He's beginning to debate already.
BOLLAND [careless pose]. As you know, I run a soap factory where I employ four hundred and sixty-two workmen ... let me repeat it, four hundred and sixty-two workmen. Their livelihood and welfare lies in the palm of my hand; don't you think that requires brains?
HAUSER. But ...
BOLLAND [interrupting]. Do you realize what the amount of detail and the management of the whole factory means?