The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Bad Day for Vermin, by Keith Laumer
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license
Title: A Bad Day for Vermin
Author: Keith Laumer
Release Date: February 21, 2016 [EBook #51258]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BAD DAY FOR VERMIN ***
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
A BAD DAY FOR VERMIN
BY KEITH LAUMER
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Galaxy Science Fiction February 1964.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
They came In friendship and love.
They couldn't help the way they looked!
Judge Carter Gates of the Third Circuit Court finished his chicken
salad on whole wheat, thoughtfully crumpled the waxed paper bag and
turned to drop it in the waste basket behind his chair--and sat
transfixed.
Through his second-floor office window, he saw a forty-foot
flower-petal shape of pale turquoise settling gently between the
well-tended petunia beds on the courthouse lawn. On the upper, or stem
end of the vessel, a translucent pink panel popped up and a slender,
graceful form not unlike a large violet caterpillar undulated into
view.
Judge Gates whirled to the telephone. Half an hour later, he put it to
the officials gathered with him in a tight group on the lawn.
"Boys, this thing is intelligent; any fool can see that. It's putting
together what my boy assures me is some kind of talking machine, and
any minute now it's going to start communicating. It's been twenty
minutes since I notified Washington on this thing. It won't be long
before somebody back there decides this is top secret and slaps a
freeze on us here that will make the Manhattan Project look like a
publicity campaign. Now, I say this is the biggest thing that ever
happened to Plum County--but if we don't aim to be put right out of the
picture, we'd better move fast."
"What you got in mind, Jedge?"
"I propose we hold an open hearing right here in the courthouse,
the minute that thing gets its gear to working. We'll put it on the
air--Tom Clembers from the radio station's already stringing wires,
I see. Too bad we've got no TV equipment, but Jody Hurd has a movie
camera. We'll put Willow Grove on the map bigger'n Cape Canaveral ever
was."
"We're with you on that, Carter!"
Ten minutes after the melodious voice of the Fianna's translator had
requested escort to the village headman, the visitor was looking over
the crowded courtroom with an expression reminiscent of a St. Bernard
puppy hoping for a romp. The rustle of feet and throat-clearing
subsided and the speaker began:
"People of the Green World, happy the cycle--"
Heads turned at the clump of feet coming down the side aisle; a
heavy-torsoed man of middle age, bald, wearing a khaki shirt and
trousers and rimless glasses and with a dark leather holster slapping
his hip at each step, cleared the end of the front row of seats,
planted himself, feet apart, yanked a heavy nickel-plated .44 revolver
from the holster, took aim and fired five shots into the body of the
Fianna at a range of ten feet.
The violet form whipped convulsively, writhed from the bench to the
floor with a sound like a wet fire hose being dropped, uttered a
gasping twitter, and lay still. The gunman turned, dropped the pistol,
threw up his hands, and called:
"Sheriff Hoskins, I'm puttin' myself in yer pertective custody."
* * * * *
There was a moment of stunned silence; then a rush of spectators for
the alien. The sheriff's three-hundred-and-nine-pound bulk bellied
through the shouting mob to take up a stand before the khaki-clad man.
"I always knew you was a mean one, Cecil Stump," he said, unlimbering
handcuffs, "ever since I seen you makin' up them ground-glass baits for
Joe Potter's dog. But I never thought I'd see you turn to cold-blooded
murder." He waved at the bystanders. "Clear a path through here; I'm
takin' my prisoner over to the jail."
"Jest a dad-blamed minute, Sheriff." Stump's face was pale, his
glasses were gone and one khaki shoulder strap dangled--but what was
almost a grin twisted one meaty cheek. He hid his hands behind his
back, leaned away from the cuffs. "I don't like that word 'prisoner'.
I ast you fer pertection. And better look out who you go throwin' that
word 'murder' off at, too. I ain't murdered nobody."
The sheriff blinked, turned to roar, "How's the victim, Doc?"
A small gray head rose from bending over the limp form of the Fianna.
"Deader'n a mackerel, Sheriff."
"I guess that's it. Let's go, Cecil."
"What's the charge?"
"First degree murder."
"Who'd I murder?"
"Why, you killed this here ... this stranger."
"That ain't no stranger. That's a varmint. Murder's got to do with
killin' humerns, way I understand it. You goin' to tell me that thing's
humern?"
Ten people shouted at once:
"--human as I am!"
"--intelligent being!"
"--tell me you can simply kill--"
"--must be some kind of law--"
The sheriff raised his hands, his jowls drawn down in a scowl. "What
about it, Judge Gates? Any law against Cecil Stump killing the ...
uh...?"
The judge thrust out his lower lip. "Well, let's see," he began.
"Technically--"
"Good Lord!" someone blurted. "You mean the laws on murder don't define
what constitutes--I mean, what--"
"What a humern is?" Stump snorted. "Whatever it says, it sure-bob don't
include no purple worms. That's a varmint, pure and simple. Ain't no
different killin' it than any other critter."
"Then, by God, we'll get him for malicious damage," a man called. "Or
hunting without a license--out of season!"
"--carrying concealed weapons!"
Stump went for his hip pocket, fumbled out a fat, shapeless wallet,
extracted a thumbed rectangle of folded paper, offered it.
"I'm a licensed exterminator. Got a permit to carry the gun, too.
I ain't broken no law." He grinned openly now. "Jest doin' my job,
Sheriff. And at no charge to the county."
* * * * *
A smaller man with bristly red hair flared his nostrils at Stump.
"You blood-thirsty idiot!" He raised a fist and shook it. "We'll be
a national disgrace--worse than Little Rock! Lynching's too good for
you!"
"Hold on there, Weinstein," the sheriff cut in. "Let's not go gettin'
no lynch talk started."
"Lynch, is it!" Cecil Stump bellowed, his face suddenly red. "Why, I
done a favor for every man here! Now you listen to me! What is that
thing over there?" He jerked a blunt thumb toward the judicial bench.
"It's some kind of critter from Mars or someplace--you know that as
well as me! And what's it here for? It ain't for the good of the likes
of you and me, I can tell you that. It's them or us. And this time, by
God, we got in the first lick!"
"Why you ... you ... hate-monger!"
"Now, hold on right there. I'm as liberal-minded as the next feller.
Hell, I like a nigger--and I can't hardly tell a Jew from a white man.
But when it comes to takin' in a damned purple worm and callin' it
humern--that's where I draw the line."
Sheriff Hoskins pushed between Stump and the surging front rank of the
crowd. "Stay back there! I want you to disperse, peaceably, and let the
law handle this."
"I reckon I'll push off now, Sheriff," Stump hitched up his belt.
"I figgered you might have to calm 'em down right at first, but
now they've had a chance to think it over and see I ain't broken
no law, ain't none of these law-abiding folks going to do anything
illegal--like tryin' to get rough with a licensed exterminator just
doin' his job." He stooped, retrieved his gun.
"Here, I'll take that," Sheriff Hoskins said. "You can consider your
gun license canceled--and your exterminatin' license, too."
Stump grinned again, handed the revolver over.
"Sure. I'm cooperative, Sheriff. Anything you say. Send it around to my
place when you're done with it." He pushed his way through the crowd to
the corridor door.
"The rest of you stay put!" a portly man with a head of bushy white
hair pushed his way through to the bench. "I'm calling an emergency
Town Meeting to order here and now!"
* * * * *
He banged the gavel on the scarred bench top, glanced down at the body
of the dead alien, now covered by a flag.
"Gentlemen, we've got to take fast action. If the wire services get
hold of this before we've gone on record, Willow Grove'll be a blighted
area."
"Look here, Willard," Judge Gates called, rising. "This--this mob isn't
competent to take legal action."
"Never mind what's legal, Judge. Sure, this calls for Federal
legislation--maybe a Constitutional amendment--but in the meantime,
we're going to redefine what constitutes a person within the
incorporated limits of Willow Grove!"
"That's the least we can do," a thin-faced woman snapped, glaring at
Judge Gates. "Do you think we're going to set here and condone this
outrage?"
"Nonsense!" Gates shouted. "I don't like what happened any better than
you do--but a person--well, a person's got two arms and two legs and--"
"Shape's got nothing to do with it," the chairman cut in. "Bears walk
on two legs! Dave Zawocky lost his in the war. Monkeys have hands."
"Any intelligent creature--" the woman started.
"Nope, that won't do, either; my unfortunate cousin's boy Melvin was
born an imbecile, poor lad. Now, folks, there's no time to waste. We'll
find it very difficult to formulate a satisfactory definition based
on considerations such as these. However, I think we can resolve the
question in terms that will form a basis for future legislation on the
question. It's going to make some big changes in things. Hunters aren't
going to like it--and the meat industry will be affected. But if, as
it appears, we're entering into an era of contact with ... ah ...
creatures from other worlds, we've got to get our house in order."
"You tell 'em, Senator!" someone yelled.
"We better leave this for Congress to figger out!" another voice
insisted.
"We got to do something...."
The senator held up his hands. "Quiet, everybody. There'll be reporters
here in a matter of minutes. Maybe our ordinance won't hold water. But
it'll start 'em thinking--and it'll make a lots better copy for Willow
Grove than the killing."
"What you got in mind, Senator?"
"Just this:" the Senator said solemnly. "A person is ... _any harmless
creature_...."
Feet shuffled. Someone coughed.
"What about a man who commits a violent act, then?" Judge Gates
demanded. "What's he, eh?"
"That's obvious, gentlemen," the senator said flatly. "He's vermin."
* * * * *
On the courthouse steps Cecil Stump stood, hands in hip pockets,
talking to a reporter from the big-town paper in Mattoon, surrounded
by a crowd of late-comers who had missed the excitement inside. He
described the accuracy of his five shots, the sound they had made
hitting the big blue snake, and the ludicrous spectacle the latter
had presented in its death agony. He winked at a foxy man in overalls
picking his nose at the edge of the crowd.
"Guess it'll be a while 'fore any more damned reptiles move in here
like they owned the place," he concluded.
The courthouse doors banged wide; excited citizens poured forth,
veering aside from Cecil Stump. The crowd around him thinned, broke up
as its members collared those emerging with the hot news. The reporter
picked a target.
"Perhaps you'd care to give me a few details of the action taken by
the ... ah ... Special Committee, sir?"
Senator Custis pursed his lips. "A session of the Town Council was
called," he said. "We've defined what a person is in this town--"
Stump, standing ten feet away, snorted. "Can't touch me with no _ex
post factory_ law."
"--and also what can be classified as vermin," Custis went on.
Stump closed his mouth with a snap.
"Here, that s'posed to be some kind of slam at me, Custis? By God, come
election time...."
Above, the door opened again. A tall man in a leather jacket stepped
out, stood looking down. The crowd pressed back. Senator Custis and
the reporter moved aside. The newcomer came down the steps slowly. He
carried Cecil Stump's nickel-plated .44 in his hand.
Standing alone now, Stump watched him.
"Here," he said. His voice carried a sudden note of strain. "Who're
you?"
The man reached the foot of the steps, raised the revolver and cocked
it with a thumb.
"I'm the new exterminator," he said.
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Bad Day for Vermin, by Keith Laumer
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BAD DAY FOR VERMIN ***
***** This file should be named 51258.txt or 51258.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/2/5/51258/
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.
Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is
subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
redistribution.
*** START: FULL LICENSE ***
THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
http://gutenberg.org/license).
Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works
1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works. See paragraph 1.E below.
1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the
collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an
individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.
1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in
a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check
the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning
the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
States.
1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
copied or distributed:
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license
1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
1.E.9.
1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked
to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg-tm License.
1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or
distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
that
- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is
owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments
must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."
- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License. You must require such a user to return or
destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
Project Gutenberg-tm works.
- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
of receipt of the work.
- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the
Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
1.F.
1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
your equipment.
1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.
1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with
the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy
is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
opportunities to fix the problem.
1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists
because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
people in all walks of life.
Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org.
Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation
The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at
809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
[email protected]. Email contact links and up to date contact
information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
page at http://pglaf.org
For additional contact information:
Dr. Gregory B. Newby
Chief Executive and Director
[email protected]
Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation
Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.
The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To
SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
particular state visit http://pglaf.org
While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.
International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations.
To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate
Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.
Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily
keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:
http://www.gutenberg.org
This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
