Kruger starts the discussion. “Ken, old chap, allow me to give my futurist view, which considers Amerika insular – isolated from the world because ruled by runaways from Europe who have the obsolete belief that the surrounding oceans isolate them. Thus you have the isolationism we Germans hope will prevent Amerika's botching up our National Socialist plan. But even if the US is forced into the coming war and emerges in control, its mentality will remain insular insofar as taking an active hand in dealing with the coming cataclysm.” He gets up and strides back and forth in front of Kimura, all the time facing him and speaking in measured tone but with a hint of controlled excitement.
“What cataclysm? It is a waste of time to explain to mediocre minds heavy with bourgeois baggage and mired in the here and now; minds that cannot imagine this juggernaut civilization collapsing into chaos. Here is a graph of world population growth based on current data." He pulls a notebook off a nearby shelf and opens it on the desk.
Kimura does not need explanation. The right end extrapolates population growth from 1930 and it projects six billion persons on Earth by year 2000 with the population growth-line straight up - a rate of increase that, if not stopped, Earth will literally be a-crawl with people by 2100. Kimura says, “Your graph is certainly disturbing Kurt, terrifying if I am to put myself in the place of a baby born today in 1939 who may grow up to live in that Malthusian mad house. But is it accurate? I mean is there a reasonable probability it will be? Or do your demographers allow a Cassandra complex to overmaster them? After all, will not science develop methods of birth control to stop the coming catastrophe? And have not you underestimated technology’s ability to feed, clothe, house and intelligently govern for the good of the people?”
Kruger drops into a chair facing Kimura. “Addressing accuracy, Ken, it hinges on the assumption of world domination. Will the gross overpopulation depicted by the graph happen? I hope not but it depends on who wins the coming War. As a German National Socialist I shall do all to defeat Amerika.” In tic-like jerk he glances back over his right shoulder as if looking for hidden microphone. Kimura guesses that Kruger realizes he has said too much but needs to communicate to Kimura's understanding ear.
The German continues: “It is not just population increase! The utilization of resources will be much more than now – more persons - 6-billion compared to today's 1.5-billion - and each one demanding rightful share but consuming more resources more intensively than today's counterpart.
The German continues: “It is not just population increase! The utilization of resources will be much more than now – more persons - 6-billion compared to today's 1.5-billion - and each one demanding rightful share but consuming more resources more intensively than today's counterpart.
“Amerika in control of the world will only be interested in markets and its god will be growth. Wed that to the insularity, and a triumphal Amerika must mean runaway consumption of resources to exhaustion leading to an increasingly toxic Earth. Kruger stops for breath, then continues. “Can such a world survive and thrive based on its technology fixing the problems it creates? I may surprise you, Ken, by admitting that even up to ten-billion people should pose no insoluble problem for adequately feeding the two-billion people in North America, Europe and Japan but it will force the rest of the world into chronic malnutrition and increasing starvation. And the rest of the world will fight back with its billions of the masses."
Kruger gives Kimura a laconic smile. "It brings up the legacy of Genghis Khan, I mean the idea that sheer manpower determines war's outcome, the idea of Mongol hordes we call the Yellow Peril."
Kruger fixes Kimura with steely eyes. "Ken, that idea will end with the atom-fission bomb.”
Kimura looks up in surprise and Kruger responds. “It is implicit in Einstein’s work. I mention it to head off the idea of a starving Asia and Africa over-running Europe and America by sheer numbers. By year 2000 the western world will be able to blow hungry hordes from Africa and Asia into ‘next Wednesday,’” Kruger stops for the effect of his little bon mot joke.
Kruger fixes Kimura with steely eyes. "Ken, that idea will end with the atom-fission bomb.”
Kimura looks up in surprise and Kruger responds. “It is implicit in Einstein’s work. I mention it to head off the idea of a starving Asia and Africa over-running Europe and America by sheer numbers. By year 2000 the western world will be able to blow hungry hordes from Africa and Asia into ‘next Wednesday,’” Kruger stops for the effect of his little bon mot joke.
“So even if Germany cannot defeat Amerika, neither will armies of Asian and African hordes driven by food and water shortages.” What then is going to bring down this vaunted civilization?”
Kimura's dream from the motel in Winona along his Route 66 drive, of the ET, fresh in mind, he is not surprised when Kruger throws down another book. It shows another graph. On the right side vertical is indicated ‘carbon dioxide (CO2) parts per million’ and beneath its lower horizontal border from left to right are century years (1500, 1600, …). Its title is ‘Atmospheric Levels of CO2 and Average Global Temperature projected up to 2050.’ Kimura's eyes trace the graph into the early historical period where the CO2 atmospheric level is estimated at a stable flat line until year 1800 and then it takes off and the extrapolation past 1930 explodes Kimura’s imagination. After 1950 it predicts such a rapid rise in CO2 as to produce a rise similar to the population growth.
“Ken, this is the result of secret research. It predicts a fourfold rise by 2050. The curve’s correlation with population growth shows the linkage of population to atmosphere CO2. Excess population needs more land to live on. And more fuel to support that living will further reduce forests creating a vicious cycle of population growth’s affect on CO2 by increasing emissions by us animals and decreasing removal by plant respiration." He pauses.
Then, fixing Kimura with a steely look:"Behind all is the spectre that haunts our civilization – the uncontrolled growth of human numbers. And a century of Amerika triumphant will guarantee this catastrophe because of Amerika’s mindless devotion to growth.”
Then, fixing Kimura with a steely look:"Behind all is the spectre that haunts our civilization – the uncontrolled growth of human numbers. And a century of Amerika triumphant will guarantee this catastrophe because of Amerika’s mindless devotion to growth.”
Kruger ends like he has made the point. Kimura well knows a point has been made and, wanting to bring out the argument, he poses a question: “All fine and dandy, Kurt but so far all you show – if I can believe the data – is that CO2 in the atmosphere may rise to 0.06%. Why should such low level of gas inflame you so?”
Kruger smiles. “Ken, old chap, I must employ you as what Amerikans call a ‘shill’. You obviously know what I am getting at. The CO2 is a gas with powerful effect of trapping Sol’s heat radiation. It is transparent to incoming rays but opaque to reflections; it is a major determinant of surface temperatures; and its rise translates to higher temperatures by year 2050. What affect on our civilization? A mass exodus from equatorial regions to south and north will cause such massive problems that I leave them to others’ imaginations. It will hugely increase electrical demand and will require more fossil fuel whose reserves will be exhausted. Add to this the melting ice in north and south polar regions with flooding of coastlines and cities like New York, London and surrounding areas plus now inhabited islands and whole nations like the Netherlands. There alone you have enough to bring down civilization.” Kruger pauses.
“But that will just be the opening scene because Earth’s climate is poised on a fine balance: the last fifteen-thousand years were unusually stable since, normally, Earth balances between glacial age and hothouse. Our experts give a fifty percent chance the temperature rise will spark runaway global temperature rise which in the past led to hellish heat and nearly wiped out life.”
“But that will just be the opening scene because Earth’s climate is poised on a fine balance: the last fifteen-thousand years were unusually stable since, normally, Earth balances between glacial age and hothouse. Our experts give a fifty percent chance the temperature rise will spark runaway global temperature rise which in the past led to hellish heat and nearly wiped out life.”
Kimura gets Kruger’s point. “So you are implying, Kurt – n’est-ce pas? – that the American century which will result from its world domination may not only mean the end of this civilization but also of life on Earth because American demo-crazy consumerism and insular insanity and inability to institute preventive measures will combine to catastrophically create conditions of runaway planetary temperature rise?”
“Precisely, old chap.” Kruger sighs and makes a wry smile. “But why is it I only succeed in convincing the already convinced?”
“There is one fly in your salad, Kurt. I can buy what you say about America but what has Mr. Hitler to offer me that I should sign on to his crusade? Granted he has been good for your Deutschland up till now: has unified a demoralized, defeated nation. But how will his worldview prevent what you described and be considered a realistic alternative to Democrazy USA?”
Kruger relaxes back into his chair and picks up nearby phone to order two coffees with strudel tarts.
After downing the coffee’s last dreg, Kimura muses it must be pure caffeine. And the shtrudel, as he correctly pronounces it, is, to use Ali’s expression, Ooh la la!
He settles into his chair as Kruger starts up again. “Now Ken, we come to the question: Would the thousand-year Reich save civilization from consumer-crazy, market-mad Amerika? Allow me to pose as Hamlet: To act or not to act? This is the question for us Utopians. If Amerika continues to exist because of our National Socialist failure of the will, not only civilization but intelligent life on Earth has a high probability of being burned up in a hottish hellish holocaust and billions of years of evolution's achievement lost. But if we act we can destroy Amerika and radically re-invent a new world and an Earth whose destiny will be in the stars."
Kruger fixes Kimura with piercing gaze. “Ken! Assuming my data accurate, which would you choose were you one who believed above all in the continuity of our planet’s life and in humanity as the piercing point for Earth's destiny?”
He settles into his chair as Kruger starts up again. “Now Ken, we come to the question: Would the thousand-year Reich save civilization from consumer-crazy, market-mad Amerika? Allow me to pose as Hamlet: To act or not to act? This is the question for us Utopians. If Amerika continues to exist because of our National Socialist failure of the will, not only civilization but intelligent life on Earth has a high probability of being burned up in a hottish hellish holocaust and billions of years of evolution's achievement lost. But if we act we can destroy Amerika and radically re-invent a new world and an Earth whose destiny will be in the stars."
Kruger fixes Kimura with piercing gaze. “Ken! Assuming my data accurate, which would you choose were you one who believed above all in the continuity of our planet’s life and in humanity as the piercing point for Earth's destiny?”
Meeting Kruger’s eyes Kimura says: “The choice, Kurt, it seems to me, is like the Lady or the Tiger? I have always admired the story. I would choose Tiger.”
Kruger bares an ironic smile. “I admire your bloody choice, Ken, old chap." Then he suddenly changes tone. "But it would be false not to say that every indication suggests Germany’s defeat in the coming war.” Again, Kruger nervously glances back over shoulder, this time, Kimura guesses, fearing a Gestapo hidden microphone. “The dilemma I’m sorry to say is the Fuhrer. He is a two-edge sword: Without his hypnotic ability to sway the masses we would not be in power. We National Socialists are a disparate group: Utopians like Hess, Speer and the late Strasser; position-loving sensualists like Goering; military revanchists like Jodl and his Prussian clique; and downright lunatics like Rosenberg and his ilk. And atop our pyramid the Fuhrer is sublimely ensconced, the outré opportunist who believes in nothing but his own fuhrer prinzip; the supreme believer in himself; he has fashioned a world where only he exists and all are puppets for his ambition. Here is the paradox for us Utopians who are in it to save humanity! Our only chance was serving the Fuhrer because without him we could not have achieved power. Yet to progress toward our aims – a Science Civilization – means inevitably to cross his purpose. And already we have examples of what happens when one tries to advance before the Fuhrer: The garroted Strasser, the bullet in brain Roehm, the machine gunned down von Schleicher! Ken, old chap, you may be thinking ‘Why continue when you know you will fail?’ Well, there is always hope – what is the cliché? Springs eternal in a human breast! Or should I say Infernal?” Germany has done bloody well under five years of Fuhrer. Should he suffer a fatal accident now he will certainly be recalled as the greatest hero Germany ever had, even considering Charlemagne, Barbarossa and Frederick the Great. And with Goering the appointed heir and our own Utopian Hess next, I see leaders who will be loath to initiate a war while Germany is not yet ready. Our ideal strategy is to have ten years of peace during which we develop atomic weapons and a rocket delivery system. Then” – Kruger purses lips – "Pouf! A rain of rockets and we reign! The million-year Reich! A destiny in the stars!"
Postscript to the Dream: Later, using Ali’s photos, Kimura writes an article telling how the German Pavilion is an example of peaceful Germany donating its science to the new decade. But personally primed by his ET dream in the Winona motel and by Kruger’s potent data, Kimura now focuses on working to achieve Science Civilization, as should all high educated intelligent persons, in order to serve as vanguard for the New People. Others may live and die meaninglessly but the New People will progress this magnificent obsession. And the New People will not include the anti-Science Adolph Hitler or his fanatic followers who would have gassed and incinerated Albert Einstein!
To read next, click 2.64 My Holland Tunnel/The Ooh La La
To read next, click 2.64 My Holland Tunnel/The Ooh La La
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