 From New York City where the American stage begins, here is another program with a cast of outstanding players. Public service time has been made available by this station to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Army. Our story today is entitled Genius at Work. This is the story of an essay contest held for servicemen and how one serviceman nearly got himself into a lot of hot water. Our first act curtain will rise in just a moment, but first, here's something that says, for women only. And here in small print it says, for women only between the ages of 18 to 34 and single. Why, that can only mean one thing, an appeal for young ladies like you to join the women's Army Corps. That's ma'am for women only. Get full information from your local United States Army Recruiting Station today. And remember gals, you'll enjoy life more in the women's Army Corps. And now your United States Army presents the proudly we hail production, Genius at Work. Of all the millions of guys in this Army, I have to pick him to team up with. Oh well, I guess it's my own fault. Don't get me wrong now, I'm not saying that Marvin is a dope. One thing I gotta admit, he's no dope. A jerk? Yeah, but not a dope. They give you an idea what I mean. I was getting back to the barracks this Saturday afternoon when... Hey, watch that stuff, Willie. You're trying to give me pneumonia or something? Yo, pneumonia. How's it gonna get through all that blubber? All right, wise guy. Knock it off. Oh, seriously, Al. It's like saying, well, uh, saying a peasant with the gout. See what I mean? Army massages just don't get pneumonia. It's a physical... You're asking for it, Willie. You're asking for it. Sam it down, fatso. Where's Marvin? Hey, Marvin, what are you dressed for? What's a big idea, reading at a time like this? Huh? Marvin, I'm talking to you. Pay attention. I'm sorry, I can't hear a word. Those airplugs, Marvin, take out the airplugs. They swear you're gonna drive me clear out of my mind with those things. You call that a drive? That ain't even a short putt. Everybody and his kid brother is a comedian all of a sudden. Oh, the airplugs, I forgot. It's that hillbilly music, Willie. We've gotta do something about that music. It interferes with my reading. I see. Maybe I ought to have a talk with the colonel and arrange your private seat. Oh, now, Willie, no. The only thing is, well, a guy can't hear himself think around here. Never mind it, they can. You know what time it is. Well, no, not exactly. Not exactly. It's 6.30. That's what it is. And if we don't dress, eat and get out of here in half an hour, we're gonna miss the bus. What do you know about that? Oh, the bus. Willie, I wanted to talk to you about that. I don't feel like going out tonight. I've changed my mind. You what? I changed my mind. I'm going to the library. My buddy, this is Willie. You sure you feel all right? Oh, I'm fine, Willie, just fine. I got interested in this essay contest that they're running in special services. And I think maybe I'll enter it. So enter it. What's that got to do with going out tonight, Marvin? I got a couple of chicks lined up at the Blue Angel. I'm not in the mood, Willie. Honest. I want to do some reading. I will make a deal with you. What's the deal, Willie? I'll go to the library with you and help you find your book, and then we'll make the 8.30 bus, okay? I doubt it, but you can come along if you want to. You're such a stubborn guy. I don't know why I waste my time trying to wise you up. Sit down and relax, Willie. It will do you good to spend an hour in the library. Oh, boy, this is the end. The word gets around that I was seen in a library on Saturday night. My reputation is ruined, completely ruined. Oh, nobody will find out. Don't worry. You finished yet? No. Oh, Willie, that's a tremendous subject they chose, very, very stimulating. What's that? The subject for the essay contest. Better understanding of our neighbors. Oh, yeah. Very stimulating indeed. Yes. That's the kind of stuff that keeps me awake nights. Ma, are you going to finish or not? Oh, look, this book is all right. Just listen to this, Willie. The most dangerous distortion in our present system of evaluating success is the exaggerated emphasis we place on material achievement while we tend to neglect the moral, ethical, and spiritual values. Willie, isn't that a well-expressed thought? Pitchy. You know, I think I'll take this book. Mm-hmm. Our Moral Concepts by Roland Wilkins. You're kind of wrapped up in this stuff, aren't you, Marley? Yes, Willie. I guess I am. Going to work real hard on the contest? I'll do my best, Willie. You're a cinch, Marv. I know if you put your mind to it, nobody can beat you. I don't know. Joe Hawkins from the 312th is entering, too, you know. He's pretty good. Oh, Joe Hawkins. I'll make me laugh. That bump couldn't even write his name without prompting. Marv, what's in this thing for you? For me? Yeah, the prize. What's a prize for winning a contest? It's a $50 bond, but that isn't the important part about it, Willie. The main thing is we get a chance to express ourselves, to tell our feelings about a vital issue. That's the thing. You're absolutely right, Marv. No doubt about it. This talk about money is disgusting. That's what it is. Now, you just keep working on this because I think you've got something important to tell the world. Meanwhile, I'm going to run along. I've got a couple of things I want to see about. And you're not sore about the date tonight? Me sore, really, Marv. What kind of an unintelligent slob do you take me for, anyway? There, the idea hit me. What I mean is you don't run into propositions like this every day. The way I saw it, Marv and couldn't lose. And any time I got an entry, they can't lose. Whether it's in a horse race, a prize fight, or an essay contest, I'm going to do something about it, and that's for sure. Well, my old pal, Willie, how's Tricks Willie? Can't complain, but how are things with you? Fine, just fine. Good, good. What brings you over to the 312th, Willie? You, uh, you got something on your mind? As a matter of fact, I do. You probably know that special services is running an essay contest. You know that? Yeah, sure. I heard about it. Okay. Now, I know that you boys in the 312th never pass up a sport in proposition. Get to the point, Willie. I thought that since you have a man entering the contest, Hawkins is it? That's right. We have a man, Flugelman. Well, we might want to back our man in the contest. Hawkins could write a better essay than Flugelman with his eyes closed under water. I don't talk, won't get us anywhere, Bertram. How about a couple of little bets? Put your money where you're mouth is, Willie. Put your money where you're mouth is. We'll cover every nickel of it. You guys are probably wondering why I called you together, right? Yeah, yeah. All right, here's the pitch. I happen to come across a bona fide 100% guaranteed sure-fire deal. Oh, another one, huh? And I said to myself, I got to let my barracks' buddies in on this. Watch it, Willie. You wouldn't let your mother in on a deal if there wasn't an angle for you in it someplace. Oh, let's hold it just a second, just a second. Now, watch all the excitement. Nobody's going to squindle you or force you to do anything. I'm going to lay the cards on the table. All the cards, you're going to think it over. If you like to set up, okay. If you don't, we're the same good friends. Okay, okay, let's go, will you? As you may know, Special Services is running an essay contest on better understanding of our neighbors. Most thrilling bit of news I heard all day. Now, Marvin has become interested in this subject and has decided to enter the contest. You're with me so far? We're with you, we're with you. So what's the big deal? This is the deal. You know as well as I do the one thing that comes to this right and racket. There's nobody on this space that can hold a candle to Marvin Flughelman. I'm right. Yes or no? So he'll win the contest. Where do we come in? I was talking to a couple of guys over in the 312 and they think, damn, man, Joe Hawkins is going to win. Now, I know for a fact that this year, Hawkins can't even write his name without help. You know, I still don't see the angle. The angle is that there's lots and lots of loose money around the 312 that's begging to be taken. You're beginning to see the light. Well, you figure Marvin to take it in the walk. What else? Well, cut me in. I could use some of that loose money too, me too. All right. Hold it down, fellas. Hold it down. I am glad to see you recognize a good thing when you see it. Yeah, well, how much dough will they cover? I don't know yet. I'll find out tomorrow. We're all going to have a part in this. Just remember that. And another thing, not a word about the betting to Marvin. He wouldn't go for that at all. Joe pitched in and did our part in the atmosphere in our barracks. He got so quiet and refined, he began to resemble an old lady's home. Hey! What's happened to you guys? Good evening, Marvin. What happened? Did somebody die around here? How's it going, Marv? The right one, I mean. Oh, fine, Willie. Just fine. You're getting some good work done. No, I think so. But what's going on here? I never saw you guys like this before. Well, I'll tell you, Marv, it's like this. The boys thought they'd like to, well, sort of help out with your essay. They know how the noise bothers you, and so we all decided to keep it as quiet as possible. Sure. Is that so? Uh-huh. Are you fellas really doing that for me? Sure, Marv. We like to feel it way contributing something, too, so anything we can do to help, you just sing out. Yes! I can hardly wait to get my hands on some of that 312 lute. You want something from the library, or you need some paper and pencils? Just say the word and we'll get them for you. We want you to win that contest for the honor of the squad. I want you men to know that... well, that you can depend on me to do my very best. We know you will, Marv, and we know that you're gonna win. Gosh, I'm tired. What's the matter, Marv? You're getting brain fatigue? I don't know what it is, Willie. All I know is I'll be glad when Saturday rolls around. I sure have been looking forward to this furlough. You find the rest, Marv. You just take it easy and relax for two weeks. It'll make a new man of you. Yes. I'll be kind of glad to see the folks, too. Hey, Marv, uh... about the essay, uh... you got that all ready to hand in? Oh, yes, the essay. What do you mean? Oh, yes, the essay. To tell you the truth, Willie, I've had a little trouble with it. Just didn't come out the way I'd planned. I ought to make some changes, eh, Marv? I know. I know it isn't easy to write a serious piece of work like that. I once knew a guy that rewrote the same story... Willie, I decided not to enter the contest. Excuse me, Marv. I didn't get that. It sounded like you said that you wasn't entering the contest. That's right, Willie. That's just what I did say. You're kidding. I mean, you can't be serious. Yes, Willie. I just worked and I worked. And I realized that I wasn't ready to write on this subject just yet. That I ought to put it away and let my thoughts crystallize. Allow my point of view to mature. Marv, buddy, you can't quit now. Think of the fellas. They've been counting on you. You can't imagine how much they've been depending on you to win this thing. I know that, Willie. And I want you to tell them that I deeply appreciate the interest and confidence that they have placed in me and that I haven't forgotten them. Yeah, I'll tell them. And Willie? Yeah. I want them to know that their generosity of spirit and their cooperation are demonstrations of neighborliness that I will treasure the rest of my life. You're listening to the proudly we hail production, Genius at Work. We'll return in just a moment for the second act. High school seniors, here's an important message for you. The United States Army's Reserve for You program will guarantee you a classroom seat in an exciting Army technical career course before you enlist. You'll get top-notch training on the job experience while serving side-by-side with America's finest young men. The choice is wide open and it's yours to make. High school graduates can choose from more than 100 interesting career courses that range from atomic technician through welding. A fact-filled booklet called Reserve for You tells you about the entire program. Get in on the swing. Get your free copy of Reserve for You by visiting or writing your nearest United States Army recruiting station. You are listening to Proudly We Hail. And now we present the second act of Genius at Work. So I was in the soup. Marvin went home on furlough when I was left to face the music. I figured it like this. Maybe my number was up, but I wasn't going down without putting up a battle. That's me. I may not be very smart, but I got a lot of courage, yeah. Well, I still had a couple of ideas that I wanted to try out. Well, if it isn't Willie, our friend and benefactor. Sit down, Willie, relax. Hey, you bite. You guys ready to start paying off the bets? Can the innocence, Willie, you know what I'm talking about? My boys got that money half spent already, so quicker you guys start paying off, the better we like it. Oh, well, the bets, yeah. Bert, I wanted to talk to you about that. You got some more money you want to get rid of? We'll cover anything you got, you know. No, no, no, that isn't it. Something else came up I wanted to talk to you about. Well, shoot, well, it's like this. If something was to happen to your man Hawkins, you know, if he was to break a leg on the obstacle course or something like that, and you came to me and told me about it, you know what I'd say? Uh, good? Not then of the kind. I put my hand on your shoulder like the good friend that I am. I'd tell you how sorry I am to hear it, and I'd insist that all bets were off. You know, I'd never think of taking advantage of you just because your man had a little accident. Is that so? Well, certainly. I mean, it would be the only decent thing to do, wouldn't it? Absolutely. I congratulate you on your attitude. Think nothing of it. Uh, Boyd. Yeah? Uh, Boyd, a little something popped up that, well, sort of changed our plans a little bit, and I thought I'd like to talk to you about it. Sure, Willie. It's on your mind. It's about Flogelman, as you probably know. He's a very brilliant guy. Oh, he is, yeah. Well, as it happens with some of these guys who are muscle-bound in their head, he finally cracked up. No. Yeah, he did. One minute, he was as sane as you were me, and the next thing you know, he was off his rocker. Well, I can't tell you how sorry I am to hear that. I know you'd understand. I said to myself, if there's one guy on this base who is sympathetic and understanding when it comes to an unfortunate situation like this, it's good old Boyd over in the 312. Yes, sir, that's exactly what I said to myself. Well, Willie, of course I understand. I mean, I'm a human being, too, you know. It's encouraging, Bert, to find men like you who are uninterested only in the material angle of things. Yes, sir, it just restores my faith in my fellow man. Well, you tell all the boys over there how sorry I was to hear about that. Okay, Bert. And I'll tell them that all the bets are off, too. You tell them anything you want, Willie, but when they announce next Saturday that our man Hawkins is the winner of the SA contest, you better make sure that you got the money to cover all the bets. But it's gonna be trouble. Lots and lots of trouble. But fight what about your sympathy and understand... Hit the road, you bum. I've seen welches in my time, but this is the first snow job like this I ever ran into. All the crumbs. Trying to run out on a deal with a fake story like that. Some name. Okay, so it didn't work. You can't kill a guy for trying, can you? Well, things were getting blacker by the minute, but I still had a couple of tricks left. And if anybody would have come along with a good idea for a painless suicide, I would have given it my careful consideration. Come on, dig in. Al brought this stuff over from the snack bar. I ain't hungry. You gotta eat something, Willie. Gotta keep up your strength. Here, try some of the roast beef here, huh? Yeah, thanks. Hey, Willie, we've been figured out I was gonna spend all that money. Believe me, Willie, it's quite a problem. Hey, hey, fellas, I hear they got some more money over the 312th they want to get rid of. No. Sure, sure, come on, let's take it. No, no, no, let's just ride with what we got. There's no sense being hogs about it. Willie, my boy, if there's one thing I don't mind being a hog about its money. Well, I think we ought to take it easy and not get excited. Hey, it seems to me you're getting awful cautious all of a sudden, Willie. You're sure nothing went wrong? Tommy, let me assure you nothing new has happened. You got my word on that. And that was no lie, no change at all, especially not for the better. Well, I said to myself the time has come for desperate measures. There's only one thing left to do, and if you want to come out of this deal in one piece you better close your eyes, hold your nose count three, and do it. Well, sure, I did it. I waited two more days to see if anything unexpected turned up, you know, maybe a hurricane or a small epidemic, something, anything. Nothing happened. So the day before Marvin was due back from his furlough I just took my courage in my teeth and then... what's the use? The big day, Willie! Yeah, tremendous. What time do you think they'll announce the winner? Sundown. Willie, what's the matter with you? You don't look very happy. Sundown, best time for an execution. Hey! Hey, Marvin! How's it going, Willie? Everything's just fine, ma'am. How was the leave? You have yourself a nice time? Oh, yes, I certainly needed that rest. I know what you mean. I need one, too. Willie, it's important for a man to get off by himself once in a while. Sort of gives you a chance to collect your thoughts. There's one thing I'd like to do right now. It's to go someplace by myself and collect my thoughts. Oh, you're really maturing, Willie. Getting more serious about things. I must say I'm certainly glad to see it. I always knew you had it in you. I was worried you might not get back in time to hear the results of the contest. Oh, that. Well, I wanted to talk to you boys about that. I know you wouldn't want to miss it. My friend Hank Wilson, he's a clerk in Special Services, told me this morning they were reading your essay with great interest. Yes, sir, looks like you're in, Marvin. Wait a sec. Willie. Willie, I want to talk to you. I went down to the snack bar, Marvin. I'll see you later. Now! But now, Willie, you guys go along. We'll see you later. Oh, okay. Come on, fellas. This is going to be a gloomy, gloomy day in the free town. Let's have it. Let's have what, Marvin? I don't know what you're talking about. The essay? What essay was Al talking about? Oh, that! That's nothing to get excited about. That isn't what I asked you, Willie. Where did they get that essay and who wrote it? Well, well, you did, Marvin. You did it in a manner of speaking. Me? Willie, what are you trying to pull around here? I don't know how to explain this. You see, I knew the boys would be so disappointed if we didn't enter the contest. Well, I just decided to send in an entry myself. That's fine, Willie. I'm proud of you. But what was that Al was talking about? Oh, Al! Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, the fact is, I... I didn't exactly write it myself. I took your notes and sort of put them together. That's a nifty notebook you keep there, Marvin. Everything's so clear and easy. Willie, that's plagiarism. Now, listen, Marvin, maybe I was a little off the beam. That doesn't mean you can say things like that about me. No, sir, I don't have to take insults like that. I didn't have any right to do a thing like that, Willie. It wasn't your work. I submitted it in your name, Marvin. I wouldn't sign my own name to it. What kind of a crook do you think I am, anyway? But the notebook, that wasn't original either. It's just a collection of things that I've read here and there. So what? It's dishonest, Willie. The worst kind of intellectual dishonesty. Marvin, I'm surprised at you. I thought you knew better than that. Intellectual dishonesty. I'm not going to have my name signed to a piece of work that I didn't have anything to do with. And I thought you knew something about literature and writers and stuff like that. What's that got to do with? Don't you know that some of the greatest writers in history have somebody else doing all the heavy work while they raked in all the dough and all the glory? Oh, stop talking nonsense, Willie. Okay, you want to turn me in, so go ahead. Turn me in. I don't want to turn you in, Willie. Go on. So they'll take away my corporal stripes and throw me in the gut. Willie. Court, Marshal. What's the difference? All I wanted to do was see that my buddy was recognized for the genius that he is. So that's a crime. No, Willie. And I wanted my outfit, our company, to have the honor of winning the contest. For that, I ought to be punished too, right? Willie. Don't think about me, Marv. I can take it. Willie, I don't want you to get into trouble. But can't you see that this is all wrong? All right, so it won't happen again. Attention! Please. Corporal Flugelman. Yes, sir? Corporal, I've just read your essay on, uh, oh, yes, uh, better understanding of our neighbors. Yes, sir, I'd like to say that I... That's a very interesting piece of work, Corporal. Have you done much writing before? No, sir. Not exactly. It's modest, sir. Everybody in the outfit knows that Marvin is a genius when it comes to writing. Is that so? About that essay, sir, could I? Yes, yes, the essay. You have a nice way of presenting your thoughts, discussing them, and then summing them up. Like, for instance, here. Uh, where you discuss the exaggerated importance we place on material success. Yes, sir, that was my favorite place, too. That's one thing about Marvin. He always... Yes, sir, I didn't... At this sentence, Corporal, the most dangerous distortion in our present system of evaluating success is the exaggerated emphasis we place on material achievement while we tend to neglect the moral, ethical, and spiritual value. Beautiful. Simply beautiful. I don't feel so good. Flugelman, what do you mean by trying to pull a stunt like this? Sir? Ah, what do you think we are in special services? Complete idiots? Trying to palm this off as your own work? Did you ever hear of a book called Our Moral Concepts by Roland Wilkins? Did you, Flugelman? Or did you simply by accident happen to write the same identical words? Figured that the captain is a square like Marvin who spends his Saturday nights in a library. Who could figure it? I suppose I could have let Marvin take the rap, but what's the use? I'm not built that way. So that's how it happened. I'll probably be on K.P. the rest of my enlistment. But it could have been worse. What I mean is all the bets with the 312s were called off. Can you imagine? That bum Hawkins even with Marvin disqualified, he couldn't win the contest. First prize went to a whack over in headquarters. Well, be thankful for small favors, I always say. Uh-oh. There's that sergeant looking at me again. I'm dishing out the spud as fast as I can. What does he want? Would you believe it? 973 guys that come through this chow line so far, not one of them has refused the mashed potatoes, not a single one. People ought to pay more attention to their diet. That's all I gotta say. All right, Sarge, take it easy. I only got two hands, you know. I'm no octopus. Now, people would get to make Sarge in this army. Did you know that you can get ahead, enjoy your work, have security, and a steady job, all when you enlist in the United States Army? Why, you'll get your first promotion when you've been in only a few months. There's a wide variety of jobs available, but most important, you'll be helping to preserve the national security of our country. Why don't you check at your local recruiting office and let them tell you how you can make the most of your life in the United States Army. This has been another program on Proudly We Hail, presented transcribed in cooperation with this station. Proudly We Hail is produced by the Recruiting Publicity Center in New York for the United States Army, and this is Mark Hamilton speaking, inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.