The Golden Judge Read online

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  +-------------------------------------------------------+ |This etext was produced from Astounding Science Fiction| |December 1955. Extensive research did not uncover any | |evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication | | was renewed. | +-------------------------------------------------------+

  THE GOLDEN JUDGE

  _A suggestion and a highly intriguing one--on how to settle the problemsthat involve face-saving among nations!_

  BY NATHANIEL GORDON

  Illustrated by Freas

  _UNITED NATIONS, N.Y., June 16, 1981--(AP)--In one ofthe most impressive ceremonies ever held in the United Nations building,the world celebrated today the 25th anniversary of the discovery of the"Golden Judge."_

  _General Terence P. O'Reilly, USA (Retired), the man responsible for thediscovery, was the principal guest of honor. Obviously moved by theacclaim from virtually every member nation, Gen. O'Reilly made a briefspeech recapturing for a moment the accidental circumstances of 25 yearsago that so drastically reduced world tensions...._

  * * * * *

  It was stifling hot in Jerusalem in the afternoon of June 16, 1956, andMajor General Terence Patrick O'Reilly, United States Army, was rathermore bored than usual. His Army career had gone well--two stars alreadyat forty-five--until the mysterious workings of the Pentagon had givenhim perhaps the most frustrating posting a soldier could have.

  He was chairman of the mixed United Nations armistice commission tryingto keep the uneasy peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors. Formonths he had presided over unending investigations of border incidents,some petty, some not so petty. He had signed reports reprimanding andrecommending and approving, but nothing ever came of them, and he nolonger expected anything ever would.

  Today's hearing was different, and not strictly in his field. Butbecause he was an engineer, and because both Arabs and Israelis trustedhim, he had agreed to listen to their opposing arguments on using thewaters of the River Jordan.

  Too many years ago, the United States had offered to provide most of thefunds for a "little TVA" on the river, benefitting both Israel andJordan alike. At first, both had refused outright to have anything to dowith the other. But over the years, skillful negotiating by EricJohnston, the American President's personal envoy, had brought Israeland Jordan closer and closer together--until now they agreed on thedisposal of ninety per cent of the water.

  But farther than this they would not go. For months, years, they balkedon the remaining ten per cent, and the dams remained only blueprints.

  Terence O'Reilly was sick unto death of the arguments, and thoughteveryone else was, too. He had heard them over and over; he knew them byheart. He knew they were evenly balanced, with justice on both sides. Heknew both nations longed for a settlement, but he knew neither wouldback down, for reasons of "face." Worst of all, he knew that anydecision of his was meaningless. It was purely advisory, and he knew alltoo well what "advisory" opinions counted for out here.

  Yet he tried to look interested as the delegate from Jordan wearilyproduced an argument that every man in the conference room could reciteword for word.

  In a brief lull, General O'Reilly groaned: "Why don't they toss a coinfor it?"

  It was not as _sotto voce_ as he meant.

  The Arab delegate stared at him. "I beg your pardon!"

  Flushing, General O'Reilly apologized, but the Arab was already talkingexcitedly to his fellow delegates. Puzzled, O'Reilly heard a confusedbabble of Arabic, then sudden silence.

  The Arab delegate had a glint in his eye as he asked for the floor.

  "In the name of my country," he said proudly, "we agree!"

  The word "agree" had not been heard in this chamber for many months, andGeneral O'Reilly wondered if he had heard aright. "Agree?" he stared."Agree to what?"

  "To toss a coin for it, as the chairman has proposed," the Arab said."That is, it the Israeli delegation has the courage, the sportsmanshipto agree." He looked tauntingly to his rivals across the room.

  The Israeli leader sprang to his feet, indignant. "I protest, Mr.Chairman, to this frivolous treatment of a serious matter, which willaffect the future of--"

  He felt silent, aware of the contemptuous smiles on the faces of theArabs.

  General O'Reilly kept his countenance. He said mildly: "Of course, ifyou are not willing to risk the luck of--"

  "We are afraid of nothing, sir!" the Israeli snapped. "We are assporting as anyone else, but--" One of his fellow delegates whisperedsomething to him. Then the whole Israeli delegation talked in lowvoices. Finally the leader rose again. "Will you permit me to telephonemy minister?"

  Gravely the general recessed the meeting for thirty minutes. In his ownroom, he stared at himself in the mirror, still dazed.

  "My God!" he breathed. "They can't be taking it seriously!"

  But why not? If the arguments were so evenly balanced that not evenSolomon could have chosen, if they really wanted a settlement, if theycould never give in without losing "face"--why, what better method thanto trust it to the fall of a coin? Still--things just didn't happen thatway.

  When the thirty minute recess ended, the Israeli delegate arose. Heglared across the room and announced defiantly: "My government alsoagrees! Let the coin decide!"

  The conference broke into clamor, but General O'Reilly had long sincelearned the value of prudence in Jerusalem. "The chairman agrees," hesaid judicially, "that in the circumstances, this is perhaps anexcellent solution, perhaps the only solution. But this has been, to saythe least, somewhat impulsive. Let me suggest both sides return to theirgovernments and consider this well. Then, if you are both stillwilling, let us meet here one week from today, in this room--and thecoin will decide!"

  * * * * *

  He had expected second thoughts, and he was not disappointed. Extremistson both sides of the Jordan screamed with indignation. Yet, oddly, mostpeople seemed strangely excited, even pleased by the sportingproposition. They began to lay bets on the outcome.

  And both governments held firm. Probably, the general speculated,because they both wanted a solution--and there was no other solution insight. Also, each hated to be the first to back down from a fair bet. Itbecame a matter of honor.

  On the week end, General O'Reilly flew to Cairo to meet some friendspassing through on a world tour. Like all tourists, they went to theMouski, Cairo's great bazaar, and it was there, in the Street of theGoldsmiths, that the general got his idea.

  It cost him a chunk of money, out of his own pocket, but like mostIrishmen, he was a sporting man himself. After all, he grinned tohimself, I started the whole business, and I might as well do it up instyle.

  He had decided that no ordinary coin would do for such an historicoccasion. So he had a goldsmith make him a heavy solid-gold medallionalmost twice as big as a twenty-dollar gold piece. He was not very muchpleased with the design he sketched out hastily, but on the spur of themoment, he could think of nothing better.

  The "Heads" side of the great coin bore a _front_ view of the blindgoddess of justice, with her scales. The "Tails" side had a _rear_ viewof the same lady.

  It was rather crudely done, but time was short. "It'll have to do," thegeneral chuckled, as the plane bore him back to Jerusalem.

  * * * * *

  When the appointed day came, the United Nations conference room inJerusalem was jammed with Israeli and Arab officials, and with a pack ofcorrespondents who had magically appeared.

  General O'Reilly had decided against asking each side to put itsagreement into writing. A true gentlem
an's agreement shouldn't bewritten, he concluded. He merely asked the leaders for each side if theyagreed to abide by the fall of the coin. Solemnly, both assented.

  Courteously, the Israelis had allowed the Arabs to call while the coinwas still in the air. There was silence as General O'Reilly flipped ithigh up towards the ceiling.

  "Tails!" cried the Arab leader.

  The spinning coin glittered, falling onto the green baize table. Thegeneral looked at it. The goddess had her back turned.

  "It is tails," he announced, and the Arab delegation broke into happyshouts.

  And, astonishingly, that was that. The leading Tel-Aviv newspaper summedup Israeli feeling when it wrote in an editorial: "Certainly there weremany heavy hearts in our country when the coin fell against us. But letus show the world that we are