Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 72 — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION Mark nodded. **Or an advertising man? Or a group psychologist?” ““No.” Mark felt that he had to defend himself. “But we have the advice of the govern- ment experts to guide us. Our colonial equipment is first class, Murbash will tell you that, and we don’t stint the supplies.” “The trouble with you,” said Miles deliberately, “‘and with the so-called experts, is that they are too near the wood to see the trees. You offer potential colonists every- thing you can think of to make life pleasant and comfort- able, don’t you? And yet you aren’t getting enough colonists, are you ? ColTerm is a failure, isn’t it? Why?” “Damn it!’ Mark fought his anger. “Don’t cross- question me.” . “Sorry.” Miles grinned. “I got carried away. But you know the answer, don’t you?” “Of course I do.” Mark crushed out his cigarette. “I can explain it all right, it’s the people. You can lead a horse, whatever that is, to water, but you can’t make it 40 drink. You can offer new worlds and a new life to people, but you can’t make them accept. ColTerm is fail- ing simply because people don’t want to leave home.” He glared at Miles’s expres- sion. ““What are you laughing at?” } “Remember what I said about being too near the wood to see the trees ?”’ *‘What’s that got to do with it?” Miles explained. Commander Jelks sat at his desk and frowned down at the papers before him.. He was worried. He liked his job and wanted to keep it and, if he could keep the Deneb fiasco secret, he would keep it. But if Colburn caught a hint of the truth he would reverse his coat, campaign for the closing of ColTerm, and Jelks would be out in the cold. The only other way to safeguard his position was to make the project such a success that it could stand on its own feet. With successful colonies founded on a dozen worlds he would be proof conmmicloolkks.comn