Revenge

f comes in by the ton across the Mexican border; they grow it forour benefit in Red China; and a few "friendly" Asian countries don'tmind exporting some now and then, either. In spite of heroic work by oursmall group of poorly financed narcotics agents, the flow of drugscannot be halted.Oh, you and your elected representatives made a lot of panicky moves tocombat this threat. The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare wasgiven a new Bureau, set up like the F.B.I., and headed by Myron P.Bishop, a man trained by that distinguished expert on narcotics,Anslinger, himself.But as to sensible solutions, such as legalizing the sale of heroin tobreak the world-wide criminal control on the distribution of drugs--thatyour vapid Puritan morality wouldn't permit. Millions of dollars forenforcement, and to punish the sick, but not one cent for prevention,and almost nothing to find out why people become addicts in the firstplace, and how to cure them.It wasn't entirely your fault. You listened to the experts, usuallycareer policemen who expect to cure any social evil with clubs andprisons. I am reminded of the simpleton found measuring two horses witha tape in order to be able to distinguish the black one from the white.Until I came along, nobody had ever reached the core of the matter. Youdon't kill a flourishing plant--in this case an Upas Tree--by loppingoff a handful of leaves. You strike at the roots. That's what I meant todo--and did--for your benefit. Oh, I admit there were a few dollars init for me, but so what? The ox that treads the wheat is not muzzled.When a man saves a manufacturer $50,000 a year by some improved process,or even by using three bolts someplace instead of four, they gladly payhim three per cent of the annual savings, or something like that, as areward. Most big outfits have such a policy, and it's a good one. Well,if I cut millions off the government budget, is a lousy $100,000 toomuch to ask? I just wanted to go on with my researches without battlinga horde of bill collectors every month. Fat chance--I didn't get ameasly dime. You, your elected and appointed officials, and your keptpress just gave me the all-time horse-laugh. Well, he who laughslast--you'll remember the old saw; I'll see to that.