This is serious. The affairs of the world must be handled
for a time by a strong hand. Mine is that strong hand. If you fail
to obey my summons, you will die. Candidly, I do not expect that you
will obey. But your death for failure to obey will cause obedience
on the part of those I subsequently summon. You will have served a
purpose. And please remember that I have no unscientific
sentimentality about the value of human life. I carry always in the
background of my consciousness the innumerable billions of lives that
are to laugh and be happy in future aeons on the earth.
"Yours for the reconstruction of society,
"GOLIAH."
The publication of this letter did not cause even local amusement.
Men might have smiled to themselves as they read it, but it was so
palpably the handiwork of a crank that it did not merit discussion.
Interest did not arouse till next morning. An Associated Press
despatch to the Eastern states, followed by interviews by eager-nosed
reporters, had brought out the names of the other nine captains of
industry who had received similar letters, but who had not thought
the matter of sufficient importance to be made public.
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