Only it would have
to be the wish of the majority, and I don't believe it ever will be.
In the meantime there is just one thing I _am_ afraid of--and
that's the thing that you and most of my friends want to do
first--suppressing free speech; if you suppress it, we won't know who
wants what. Then you really do get an explosion."
Eddie had got Mr. Cord to be serious now, with the unfortunate result
that the older man was more shocking than ever.
"Free speech doesn't mean treason and sedition," Eddie began.
"It means the other man's opinion."
There was a pause during which Eddie became more perturbed and Mr.
Cord settled back to his habitual calm.
"Wouldn't you suppress _anything_?" Verriman asked at length, willing
to know the worst. "Not even such a vile sheet as _Liberty_?"
"Do you ever see it, Eddie?"
"Read a rotten paper like that? Certainly not. Do you?"
"I subscribe to it." And, bending down, Mr. Cord unlocked a drawer in
his desk and produced the issue of the preceding day.
"I notice you keep it locked up," said Eddie, and felt that he had
scored.
"I have to," replied Mr. Cord, "or else Crystal gets hold of it and
cuts it all up into extracts--she must have sent you some--before I
get a chance to read it. Besides, it shocks Tomes. You ought to talk
to Tomes, Eddie. He thinks about as you do--"
At this moment the door opened and Tomes himself entered.
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