II
In this mood he was particularly objectionable at the Boosters'
Club lunch next day. They were addressed by a congressman
who had just returned from an exhaustive three-months
study of the finances, ethnology, political systems, linguistic
divisions, mineral resources, and agriculture of Germany,
France, Great Britain, Italy, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Jugoslavia,
and Bulgaria. He told them all about those subjects,
together with three funny stories about European misconceptions
of America and some spirited words on the necessity of
keeping ignorant foreigners out of America.
"Say, that was a mighty informative talk. Real he-stuff,''
said Sidney Finkelstein.
But the disaffected Babbitt grumbled, "Four-flusher! Bunch
of hot air! And what's the matter with the immigrants? Gosh,
they aren't all ignorant, and I got a hunch we're all descended
from immigrants ourselves.''
"Oh, you make me tired!'' said Mr. Finkelstein.
Babbitt was aware that Dr. A. I. Dilling was sternly listening
from across the table. Dr. Dilling was one of the most
important men in the Boosters'. He was not a physician but
a surgeon, a more romantic and sounding occupation. He was
an intense large man with a boiling of black hair and a thick
black mustache. The newspapers often chronicled his operations;
he was professor of surgery in the State University; he
went to dinner at the very best houses on Royal Ridge; and
he was said to be worth several hundred thousand dollars.
It was dismaying to Babbitt to have such a person glower at
him. He hastily praised the congressman's wit, to Sidney
Finkelstein, but for Dr. Dilling's benefit.
