Blow the Man Down

Blow the Man Down is a science fiction short story written by Charles Louis Fontenay, an American journalist and science fiction writer. He wrote science fiction novels and short stories. His non-fiction includes the biography of the prominent New Deal era politician Estes Kefauver. 

Excerpts from the book:

Puzzlement written all over his swarthy face, Migl unstrapped himself from the captain's chair and pushed himself across the room. Albrekt slid into the chair, buckled himself in and pulled two rolls of magnetic tape from the breast pocket of his coveralls. He found the roll marked "No. 1," stuck the other in the rack beside him and inserted the end of his tape in the automatic pilot.