"Why do you say that? Can't we just set up an instruction center and start resuscitating?"
"Pardon me, Mart, if I say that your approach's a naive one. We can't do any such thing. Not even if you limit use of the apparatus to fully qualified M.D.'s. You see, anything as radical as this will have to be routed through the Federal Health Department, and they'll simply boot it on up to the President, and he'll refer it to Congress. What we need is a law making use of your technique legal."
"Is there any law saying it's illegal to reanimate the dead?" Raymond asked.
"Not yet. But you can bet there'll be an attempt to ram one through, before long. Which is why we have to put through a law of our own."
Raymond fell silent; his blue-cheeked face looked grave. An idea occurred to Harker and he said, "Do you have any idea how big our public-relations budget is?"
Raymond shrugged. "Pretty big. I guess you can have three or four hundred thousand, if you need it."
"Three or four hundred million is more in line with what we'll need," Harker said. He saw the stunned expression on Raymond's face and added, "Certainly at least a million, to begin with."
"But why? Why should it be necessary to sell the idea of restoring life? You'd think the people of America would rise up and acclaim us as saviors."
"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Harker shook his head bleakly. "It doesn't work that way, Mart. For one thing, they'll be afraid to try it. There'll be plenty of 'zombie' jokes, and behind those jokes will be unvoiced fear. Uh-uh, Mart. If we're going to put this thing across, we'll need a big public-relations budget. And we can't let a bubble-head like Mitchison handle the job."
"It'll take a little time to fire him."