The nation panics when Rearden retires. Under the looters’ control, the newspapers print contradictory stories. Some papers say that he has quit, some that he was tragically killed in a car accident, and some that he is still working at his mills. But with Rearden gone, the output of the American steel industry drops precipitously. People despair for the future. Gangs of raiders terrorize the countryside, and acts of random violence proliferate. In response, the looters announce repeatedly that Mr. Thompson will speak to the country regarding the current crisis by radio broadcast on November 22. But at the appointed time, the Head of State is preempted. John Galt goes on the air instead and addresses the world. He tells the American people about the strike he has organized, including the reasons for it.
