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Authors: James Thayer
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along."
"It wouldn't seem possible that a fanatic Nazi bootlicker never known for any intellectual prowess could have data that would help us."
"Perhaps not," Sackville-West replied, "but all information, no matter how general, must be extracted from Hess. The very least he knows is how much emphasis the Nazis are putting on the nuclear experiments, and that information alone is vital.
"There is only one man qualified to question Hess, and he is here at the University of Chicago. His name is Enrico Fermi. I'll be brief with his biography."
Sackville-West picked up a 3A sheet and summarized. "Fermi was born in 1901, the son of a railroad administrator. He quickly outgrew traditional education and began the study of physics as a hobby. He purchased and borrowed physics texts, and he decided to become a physicist before his high school ended. In 1918 Fermi went to Pisa to begin his higher education at the Reale Scuola Normale of Pisa.In 1922 he received his doctorate in physics. Fermi then taught at various institutions and studied with the world's leading physicists. In 1924 he became a lecturer at the University of Florence, and two years later he went to the University of Rome as a professor of theoretical physics. He made important discoveries involving the behavior of electrons in solids, electrical conductivity, electron emission, and thermoelectric effects.
"In 1928 he was married to his present wife, Laura. This apparently didn't slow him down, because in 1934 he developed a theory of radioactive beta-ray disintegration. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 1938." Sackville-West lowered the 3A. "What I'm trying to impress you with is that Enrico Fermi is a heavyweight."
"You've succeeded admirably," Crown replied. The prospect of meeting a Nobel laureate intrigued him.
"Mussolini began cracking down on the Jews and intellectuals in the late thirties. Fermi is a Catholic, but he found he couldn't carry on his research and teaching in the repressive atmosphere of fascist Italy. He fled in 1939 and accepted a post at Columbia University in New York. A while ago he came to Hyde Park."
"Where he is working on research similar to the Germans', research on the ultimate bomb," Crown guessed. His assignment was beginning to take shape.
"Yes. His research is too important to take the time to fly him to London to interview Hess. So Hess is coming here. Fermi will interview him, and then Hess will return to England. European Documentation Center personnel will also come to Hyde Park to assist Fermi. In fact, Peter Kohler, the assistant chief of the EDC, has been in Hyde Park for over a week preparing a safe house. Your job is to transport Hess from England, to ensure his safety while he is in Chicago, and to get Hess back to England. This must be done with unprecedented security. The Germans, andeveryone else for that matter, must not even have slight suspicions of Hess's travels.
"As you know," Sackville-West went on, cutting off the opportunity for questions, "Smithson here is in charge of mid-States antisabotage. He has the resources you need, like automobiles and the like. He'll cooperate in every way, and you're to call him if you need anything. You have one week to work with Peter Kohler to make your preparations for Hess's confinement in Hyde Park. Next Monday, we have transportation for you to London to pick up Hess. I've prepared a packet of further instructions, which you can read downstairs. They are not to leave the building."
When the flurry of orders ended, Sackville-West rose and walked around the desk, indicating the meeting was over. He put his hand on Crown's elbow and said, "I'll walk you downstairs," meaning he had further instructions out of Smithson's hearing. As Crown left the room, he saw Smithson busily sweeping tobacco crumbs from the desk just vacated by the Priest. Smithson carefully dropped them into the wastepaper basket.
As they slowly descended the stairs, Sackville-West said, "I
"It wouldn't seem possible that a fanatic Nazi bootlicker never known for any intellectual prowess could have data that would help us."
"Perhaps not," Sackville-West replied, "but all information, no matter how general, must be extracted from Hess. The very least he knows is how much emphasis the Nazis are putting on the nuclear experiments, and that information alone is vital.
"There is only one man qualified to question Hess, and he is here at the University of Chicago. His name is Enrico Fermi. I'll be brief with his biography."
Sackville-West picked up a 3A sheet and summarized. "Fermi was born in 1901, the son of a railroad administrator. He quickly outgrew traditional education and began the study of physics as a hobby. He purchased and borrowed physics texts, and he decided to become a physicist before his high school ended. In 1918 Fermi went to Pisa to begin his higher education at the Reale Scuola Normale of Pisa.In 1922 he received his doctorate in physics. Fermi then taught at various institutions and studied with the world's leading physicists. In 1924 he became a lecturer at the University of Florence, and two years later he went to the University of Rome as a professor of theoretical physics. He made important discoveries involving the behavior of electrons in solids, electrical conductivity, electron emission, and thermoelectric effects.
"In 1928 he was married to his present wife, Laura. This apparently didn't slow him down, because in 1934 he developed a theory of radioactive beta-ray disintegration. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 1938." Sackville-West lowered the 3A. "What I'm trying to impress you with is that Enrico Fermi is a heavyweight."
"You've succeeded admirably," Crown replied. The prospect of meeting a Nobel laureate intrigued him.
"Mussolini began cracking down on the Jews and intellectuals in the late thirties. Fermi is a Catholic, but he found he couldn't carry on his research and teaching in the repressive atmosphere of fascist Italy. He fled in 1939 and accepted a post at Columbia University in New York. A while ago he came to Hyde Park."
"Where he is working on research similar to the Germans', research on the ultimate bomb," Crown guessed. His assignment was beginning to take shape.
"Yes. His research is too important to take the time to fly him to London to interview Hess. So Hess is coming here. Fermi will interview him, and then Hess will return to England. European Documentation Center personnel will also come to Hyde Park to assist Fermi. In fact, Peter Kohler, the assistant chief of the EDC, has been in Hyde Park for over a week preparing a safe house. Your job is to transport Hess from England, to ensure his safety while he is in Chicago, and to get Hess back to England. This must be done with unprecedented security. The Germans, andeveryone else for that matter, must not even have slight suspicions of Hess's travels.
"As you know," Sackville-West went on, cutting off the opportunity for questions, "Smithson here is in charge of mid-States antisabotage. He has the resources you need, like automobiles and the like. He'll cooperate in every way, and you're to call him if you need anything. You have one week to work with Peter Kohler to make your preparations for Hess's confinement in Hyde Park. Next Monday, we have transportation for you to London to pick up Hess. I've prepared a packet of further instructions, which you can read downstairs. They are not to leave the building."
When the flurry of orders ended, Sackville-West rose and walked around the desk, indicating the meeting was over. He put his hand on Crown's elbow and said, "I'll walk you downstairs," meaning he had further instructions out of Smithson's hearing. As Crown left the room, he saw Smithson busily sweeping tobacco crumbs from the desk just vacated by the Priest. Smithson carefully dropped them into the wastepaper basket.
As they slowly descended the stairs, Sackville-West said, "I
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