nations. The balances that
remain after the accounts have been cleared by the international council should
not be large under our system. Whatever they may be, the council requires them
to be settled every few years, and may require their settlement at any time if
they are getting too large; for it is not intended that any nation shall run
largely in debt to another, lest feelings unfavorable to amity should be
engendered. To guard further against this, the international council inspects
the commodities interchanged by the nations, to see that they are of perfect
quality.«
    »But what are the balances finally settled with, seeing that you have no
money?«
    »In national staples; a basis of agreement as to what staples shall be
accepted, and in what proportions, for settlement of accounts, being a
preliminary to trade relations.«
    »Emigration is another point I want to ask you about,« said I. »With every
nation organized as a close industrial partnership, monopolizing all means of
production in the country, the emigrant, even if he were permitted to land,
would starve. I suppose there is no emigration nowadays.«
    »On the contrary, there is constant emigration, by which I suppose you mean
removal to foreign countries for permanent residence,« replied Dr. Leete. »It is
arranged on a simple international arrangement of indemnities. For example, if a
man at twenty-one emigrates from England to America, England loses all the
expense of his maintenance and education, and America gets a workman for
nothing. America accordingly makes England an allowance. The same principle,
varied to suit the case, applies generally. If the man is near the term of his
labor when he emigrates, the country receiving him has the allowance. As to
imbecile persons, it is deemed best that each nation should be responsible for
its own, and the emigration of such must be under full guarantees of support by
his own nation. Subject to these regulations, the right of any man to emigrate
at any time is unrestricted.«
    »But how about mere pleasure trips; tours of observation? How can a stranger
travel in a country whose people do not receive money, and are themselves
supplied with the means of life on a basis not extended to him? His own credit
card cannot, of course, be good in other lands. How does he pay his way?«
    »An American credit card,« replied Dr. Leete, »is just as good in Europe as
American gold used to be, and on precisely the same condition, namely, that it
be exchanged into