Argosy (UK), January 1955 — page 76: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

74 ROBERT SHECKLEY limation worked only up to a point. Then people demanded the real thing. There is no substitute for murder. So murder was legalized, on a strictly individual basis, and - only for those who wanted it. ‘The governments were directed to create Emotional Catharsis Boards. After a period of experi- mentation, uniform rules were adopted. Anyone who wanted to murder could sign up at the ECB. Giving certain data and assurances, he would be granted a Victim. Anyone who signed up to murder, under the govern- ~ ment rules, had to take his turn a few months later as Victim— if he survived. That, in essence, was the set-up. The individual could commit as many murders as he wanted. But between each, he had to be a Victim. If he successfully killed his Hunter, he could stop, or sign up for another murder. At the end of ten years, an estimated third of the world’s civilized population had applied for at least one murder. The number slid to a fourth, and stayed there. Philosophers shook their heads, but the practical men were satisfied. War was where it belonged—in the hands of the individual. Of course, there were ramifications to the game, and elabora- tions. Once its existence had been accepted, it became big business. There were services for Victim and Hunter alike. The Emotional Catharsis Board picked the Victims’ names at random. A Hunter was allowed two weeks in which to make his kill. ‘This had to be done by his own ingenuity, unaided. He was given the name of his Victim, address, and description, and allowed to use a standard-calibre pistol. He could wear no armour of any sort. The Victim was notified a week before the Hunter. He was told only that he was a Victim. He did not know the name of his Hunter. He was allowed his choice of armour. He could hire spotters. A spotter couldn’t kill; only Victim and Hunter could do that. But he could detect a stranger in town, or ferret out a nervous gunman. ‘The Victim could arrange any kind of ambush in his power to kill the Hunter. There were stiff penalties for killing or wounding the wrong man, for no other murder was allowed. Grudge killings and gain killings were punishable by death. ‘The beauty of the system was that the people who wanted to kill could do so. ‘Those who didn’t—the bulk of the population—didn’t have to. At least, there weren’t any more big wars. Not even the imminence of one. Just hundreds of thousands of small ones. Frelaine didn’t especially like the idea of killing a woman; a comicloooks.comn — —- a ‘= - — 6 eg OO ee ee Fae 2 een Sh Cc ee ee : 3 - 2