 Tonight, the DuPont Company brings you Rainfakers, starring Burgess Meredith on the Cavalcade of America. Rainfakers is a story about the weather. And in our play tonight, a Rainmaker is going to tangle with a scientist from the Weather Bureau. Now, if you don't know about the tricks that Rainmakers use, you will find out in a moment. And ladies and gentlemen, the forecast for tonight is fireworks. But first, here's Gain Whitman. You may be lucky enough to be moving into a new home. In that case, congratulations. But all of us can have new-looking homes, and at such little cost. Paint those drab, weary walls with DuPont Speed Easy. See how bright and new your home will look. Speed Easy can be used on all interior wall surfaces. It's a resin emulsion paint, but you thin it with water. Apply with a large brush or roller right over wallpaper. It dries in an hour. You'll be surprised at how little it will cost. Ask your DuPont dealer for Speed Easy. Another of the DuPont Company's better things for better living through chemistry. Tonight, we present Burgess Meredith as Walt Swanson in Rainfakers on the DuPont Cavalcade of America. Ah, the weather. Everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything about it. Wrong. I'm sorry, but you're wrong. Huh? About what? The weather. People do do things about it. As a matter of fact, I did something about the weather once myself. Yeah? And who are you? My name is Walt Swanson. I'm a weatherman, a meteorologist. If you want to be high-brow. Well, how long's this rain going to last? This rain will last about one second. Oh, come now. Is that what you mean by doing things about the weather, having our studio sound man on your side? Not at all. I weigh the weather, record its temperatures, observe the direction of the wind, chart the course of storms, measure rainfall, predict floods, warn against hurricanes, and so far as is possible, provide weather information and accurate forecast. Well, that's reporting weather, predicting it. That's not doing anything about it. Nobody can do anything about the weather. I did. I did once. Just what did you do, Mr. Weatherman? Well, it all began with Colonel Daisy and a rainmaker. It was quite a while back. Sound man? Yes, sir? A minute ago you made me some dandy weather. No, that's not what I want. Can you dig me up a hot July day, say about 102 without a breath of air stirring? How's this? Perfect. That's right. Now, I'm on my way to work. But today, you see, I don't look forward to my job much. Good morning, Walt. Hello, Ed. Hot again. Think of all the ice cream you'll sell. Well, folks ain't spend the cent. They don't have to. Things like this. Well, it's got to break sooner or later. Ain't you got some idea when? Oh, I wish I had, Ed. Well, so long. So long. Now, that was Ed Carr of Carr's drug store opening his place up. He's next door to the courthouse where the Weather Bureau is. Now, inside of the courthouse, I turn right and I start upstairs. Here's Mr. McDonnell coming down the stairs as I go up. Well, this is kind of early for you, Mr. McDonnell. You don't call these bankers hours, do you? I was just up at the Weather Bureau, Walt, looking for you. What's the matter? Am I overdrawn? I wish that's all it was. No, what's up? Well, I don't have to tell you how many farmers in this area have loans with our bank. And that's all right. That's what we're there for. We can't make money if we don't lend it. Just the same. Well? Many of those notes are due right now. More coming all the time. We'd like to extend them. Of course. But if the crop fails, they can't pay. Simple as that. So, how do you think our chances look for rain, huh? Well, I can just tell you, Mr. McDonnell, is that there's never been a drought yet that lasted forever. Well, if it lasts long enough to kill the crop, it might as well be forever, as far as the bank's concerned. Can't you give me some idea when it'll rain? Look, Mr. McDonnell, I don't control the weather. This drought isn't just a whim of mine. Now, there's no need to get excited. I merely asked if you knew when it would rain, and you don't. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lose my temper, but this thing's been getting on my nerves. Well, something's got to be done, and I've got an idea. It's got to rain soon. I sure hope so. Oh, will you be coming over at the house for dinner, Sunday? You bet. Well, good. I'll tell Jane when I get home. Goodbye. Goodbye. Poor man. He's really upset. Now, do you hear that? That's the teletype in my office. The clearinghouse at Denver is sending us weather reports from all over the northern half of the Western Hemisphere. You know, that man learned a long time ago that weather traveled. But as long as it traveled faster than men and horses, there was no way to spread reports in time to do anyone any good. But then the telegraph and the telephone changed all that. And weather forecasting, the way that we know it now, grew up side by side with modern communications. Ah, good morning, Jenkins. Morning, Mr. Swanson. Phew. Ain't this a beaut? Sure is. What's your dry bulb reading? 102 already. Any change in the pressure? No. I think this high is going to last forever. If we don't get some indication of rain soon, I'm going into a new business. Yes, your worries are over. Hello, Brownie. Why? What are you talking about? A drought. It's washed up. You can just lean back and relax. We'll be having rain any minute now. What do you mean? Oh, the Farmers Association is going to hire that eminent scientist, Colonel Daisy, and the rainmaker. And he's going to fix everything. You're kidding? They're having a big meeting tonight at the Odd Fellows Hall, and the Colonel's going to be there. Hand me that phone. What are you going to call? Well, I'm not going to sit here and let farmers pay out good money to a jip artist like the Colonel. Hello, operator. Number, please. 229, ring two, please. Oh, by the way, some English professor called up from the State University. He wants to come over here and observe for a couple of days. An English professor? He's writing a book, believe it or not, on the weather in Shakespeare's place. No kidding. I told him he could stand around and watch as long as he didn't get in the way, OK, with you? Sure. Maybe he'll give us a copy of the book. Hello. Hello, Jane. I knew it was going to be you, Walt. I could just tell away the phone rings. That's the deal I have with the phone company. Oh, I mean it, Walt. I did know it was you. I get feelings like that, and they're right most always. Coming to dinner Sunday? Haven't you got a feeling about that, too? I got a feeling we'll have roast beef. Oh, well, he couldn't keep me away. Say, Jane, is your father back yet? No, Dad's still out. Has he said anything to you about the Farmers Association hiring somebody called Colonel Daisyan? You mean the Rainmaker? Yeah, that's the guy. Oh, yes, Dad's going to talk to the folks about him this morning. Oh, thank Heaven for that. People respect your father, and they'll believe him when he tells them that this Colonel's a fake. What'd you say, Walt? That Colonel Daisyan's a crook and a fake. That's what your father thinks, isn't it? Well, I know Dad likes him. It's his idea to hire him. Jane. And I think it's wonderful, too. We just got to have rain. Jane, this man can't make it rain. Well, that's not what the thousands and thousands of people say in the places where he's brought rain. They bless him and thank him. And pay him. Well, of course they pay him. It's worth anything to get rain. But all he does is to collect for rain that would fall anyway, and I refuse to stand by and see people swindle. If you ask me you're jealous because the Colonel knows more about weather than you do. Jane, it's no good as arguing. I'll call your father later. Goodbye. Goodbye. Well, how do you like that? Well, if the people want to pay a rainmaker, what do you care? It isn't your doll. It isn't just the money, but every time one of those crooks gets away with a deal like this, the whole weather bureau looks silly. I don't like it. What are you going to do about it? Well, for one thing, you and I are going to attend that meeting tonight. And now, sound man, I want the noise of wind, a great big bag of wind. Oh, that's just what I mean. A big bag of wind. And that old blowhards brought out a good crowd, though. And they're not all farmers either. Ed Carr's here from the drug store. There's old man McDonald and Jane. And even the little professor who's writing the book has showed up. Nobody's laughing, nobody's even smiling. Don't tell me that they believe that guy. Oh, but you was no one I could do here. Things I discharge of radiomagnetic waves into the upper regions. I doubt if I could make the process entirely clear to a layman. But I know something about meteorology. I'm head of the weather bureau here. What they're getting before they pay. What they're getting, sir, is their scent. But what are you going to make it rain? That's the point. Sooner or later, the weather's bound to change its own accord. And I feel to see why you or anybody else should cash in on it. Nor do I, sir. The whole purpose of my method is to make rain where it will not fall naturally. You guarantee to make it rain within a specific period of time? Yes. Once the radiomagnetic rainmaker has been started, rain invariably falls within three days. I did not say that, sir. But I will guarantee rain within three days from the time the radiomagnetic waves are launched. Of course, before I can turn them on, it is sometimes necessary to spend a few days softening up the elements by other means. I see. Like studying weather bureau forecast, Colonel? If I had to depend on the weather bureau for my rain, I wouldn't stay in business long. And I start three. Forecast because they aren't entirely accurate for longer than that. That's what the colonel said. But any good meteorologist can predict three or four, even five days in advance, and be right four times that he's wrong. Well, what of it? Well, don't you see, look, all a rainmaker's got to do is to get a hold of these early reports, start his mumbo-jumbo, and gamble on rain. And seven times out of ten, he'll be right, and you pay through the nose. What do you care what we pay? Sir, money ain't it? It's your money, but why do you throw it away for nothing? You call rain nothing? Look, look, I've studied weather since I was 18 years old, and there's no known scientific method of making rain. Now, rain is caused by warm, voiced air rising. That forms clouds, and when these clouds condense, why then it rains? Hey, just a moment. You said rain was caused by hot air rising. Indirect. Here is. They want rain. See what I mean? Brownie, let's get back to the office. I've got to make some long-distance calls. I'll show this pony up if it's the last thing I do. You are listening to Burgess Meredith as Walt Swanson, the weatherman in Rainfakers on the Cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. As the second part of our story opens, Swanson, with the aid of our studio soundman, is telling me about the time he tangled with Colonel Daisy and the rainmaker. How do things stand now, Mr. Weatherman? Well, very bad indeed. You see, the Colonel got his contract and I got hard feeling. Well, just a minute. At the beginning of this program, you said you were the one that did something about the weather. Yeah, I know. Well, I'm coming to that. Soundman, you suppose you could fire a distant cannon every once in a little while? Oh, that's fine. That's fine. Now that represents Colonel Daisy and softening up the elements. You see, one of the most persistent notions about weather is that gunfire or fireworks causes rain. And so many people believe it, that it's a shame that it isn't true. It doesn't rain on the 5th of July anymore. It doesn't on the 3rd, you know. But statistics show it often rains after big battles. Oh, sure it does. Commanders don't want their armies to fight on soggy ground, so they wait several days after rain before ordering an offensive. You see, and by the time the battle's over, it's usually time for rain again. That's how that old wives' tale got started. Well, let's get back to the Weather Bureau. Say, Walt, you told me to let you know when the professor came back again. He's here now. Oh, good. Now, look, I want to see him. Uh, Professor, you learning all about the weather? Well, it's so complicated. I don't know if I shall ever get it straight. That's exactly the way I feel about Shakespeare. Hey, me. You know, Professor, you really ought to see our instruments on the roof. Oh, I do. On the roof. Jenkins. Yeah, but... I want you to take Professor Raff to the roof and show him how we measure the upper air draft with the balloon and theodolite. Okay, right this way, Professor. Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Jenkins. But if Mr. Swanson wouldn't mind, I'd prefer to go later after the weather map's been made. That fascinates me more than anything. We'll still be on the map by the time you get down, Professor. Oh, well, in that case, I'll go. Oh, watch these steps, Professor. Kind of steep. Excuse me. That's right. Brownie, Brownie. Give me that map, will you? Yeah. Now, you take this map and I'll hide yours down here. What? You can get it later when the professor's gone. Is this map doesn't match today's reports? Colonel's not the only guy that can make rain, Brownie. You and I are gonna whip up some rain, too. Now, for days, I've been trying to find out where that old fraud gets his weather reports. You sure he works that way, Walt? Why, do you think he keeps that cannon going day and night? It's just to fill in time till he knows for certain that rain's on the way. Then he turns that phony apparatus on. Only this time, when he turns it on, he won't get rain. I must be dumb, but I don't get any of this. Well, I've checked all the weather services. He's not getting his information there, so he has to get it somewhere, but where? I'll bite where? Well, he's getting it from us. Who? This professor upstairs. Now, he's a fake. I called the university and they never heard of him. I've got a hunch that he's an experienced meteorologist. Do you think he reads our maps and passes on the dope to the colonel? I'm certain. I know it. I phone Springtown and some of those other places where the colonel's operated. And the professor, it so happens, has been observing in their bureaus at the same time that Daisy and was in town. Now do you believe me? Dirty weather they got in Shakespeare's place. You don't know how dirty. Look at this map that I gave you. Well, that's all wrong, Walt. The way you've got it here, we've been getting rain in a few days. Yes, if only the professor thinks that way, we're all set. He'll tell the colonel that rain is due and that old fake will turn that radiomagnetic gadget on too soon. Oh, it's a great scheme, Walt, but it's dangerous. Business issuing false reports. No, there won't be any false reports. You see, every day we'll make two maps. A regular one for the bureau and a special one for the professor. Showing a nice, fat rainstorm right around the corner. There he comes. Thank you, sir. That was fascinating. Oh, glad you liked it, professor. Ah, still at the map. Still at the map, yes. Now, there's some interesting changes here. Yes. Since yesterday. Now, look at this. You see, this week, line here, we call it a coal front. Oh, yes. Now, will you notice how it's moved south? Yes, yes, I see, I see. And you notice at this point that the barometric pressure has come down to millibars. Yes, yes, most interesting. Dear, dear, I hope someday I shall be able to what... Oh, my goodness. What's the matter? Oh, I've just remembered there's a call I must make. Use our phone right here. Thank you, just the same. This is long distance. I'll just use the booth down. Oh, sure is. Now, what did I tell you? You think he's going to phone the colonel? Well, I know it. Within five minutes, that rain machine will be going full blast. That means the colonel guarantees to bring rain within three days. He'd better be some rainmaker. Now, sound man. Yes, sir. I got something tough for you. I want the noise of one radio-magnetic rainmaking machine. How's this? Very good. That's perfect. Now, at the fairgrounds, the colonel turned the darn thing on, this machine on, the minute the professor called him. And the crowd's been collecting ever since some of them carrying umbrellas. Oh, that's quite a gadget, Walt. I like those sparks flashing out of the top. Something that certainly wows the crowd. I don't know whether I like this gag or not, Walt. What do you mean? Well, folks get their hopes up, and they don't get rain. Well, hello, Walt. I'm so surprised to see you here. Why shouldn't I be here? You were the man who thought the colonel couldn't make rain. Well, I still do. Well, just listen to that rain machine. Just listen. You can just feel it'll work. It will work, Jane. Believe me that it won't work. Well, all I have to say to you, Walt Swanson, is that I hope you get caught without a raincoat or an umbrella or anything. Well, if I do, it won't be in the colonel's rain. Howdy, colonel. Time's up. What do you mean, sir? Your contract guaranteed to produce rain within 72 hours. Three days. The three days are up. Well, something technical seems to have gone a bit wrong someplace. I find it necessary to continue. Oh, no. Why don't you give up, colonel? There's not a cloud in the sky. My contract, sir, is not with you. It's with these gentlemen of the Farm Association here. Right? That's right. It ain't his business. I'm sure another few hours will do the trick, gentlemen. Well, what do you fellas say? Now, before you say anything, Mr. Brown, here and I want to tell you a little story about some weather maps. Well, friends, a few days ago, a stranger showed up. At this point, Brownie and I told our story about Professor Raff and how he got the reports from the colonel. Well, you've heard it all, you know, so I see no point in repeating it. But anyway, it had a double effect on the farmers. First, they terminated their contract with the colonel. You faker, get out of town and stay out. Don't ever come back. And then they turned off his machine. They expressed their gratitude to me. Morning, Ed. Pretty smart, ain't you, Mr. Swanson? Well, he must have got up on the wrong side this morning. Hello, Mr. McDonald. How are you? Well, Mr. Swanson. Sure showed that fellow up, didn't you? Yes, sir. You made us all look pretty foolish, too. Especially me. After all, Daisy and was my idea. Wait a minute. Well, if you're so all fired smart, where's the rain? You haven't done very much about that, have you? Looks like you showed yourself up, too. You'd only listen to reason. Oh, and about dinner tomorrow, forget it. Jane said to tell you not to bother coming over. I see. Thanks. Well, I sure picked the right way to win friends and influence people. Morning, Walt. Hello, Brownie. Oh, why the long face? Is Jane still sore? Jane, everybody's sore. Oh, that's what you get for showing people up. It's fatal. They really griped at the weather, you know. You're not on me. Well, you fixed the colonel's wagon anyhow. Way things are now. That's sort of cold comfort. Something special is cooking on the teletype. What's it say, Jenkins? Hey, get this. Cold front sweeping down from the north. What? Let me see that. Wonderful. Give me the phone. Brownie, get on the other phone. Will you notify the Gazette and the radio station? Operator 229, ring two, please. Here's the rest of the report. Oh, thanks, Jenkins. Look, oh, it looks like Colonel Daisy in left town just a little bit too soon. Hello? Jane, this is Walt. Really, Walt? I'd rather not talk to you. All right, don't talk to me. Just listen. I'm no Colonel Daisy or anything like that, but your reign is coming and plenty of it. You know what they say. Seeing is believing. You'll see it all right by noon tomorrow. Goodbye, Walt. And if you're fooling me, if you're just trying to be smart again, this is goodbye for good. Mind it. Oh, just look at you. Come inside and get out of those wet things. Thanks, thanks. Oh, quick, take that coat off. Honestly, anyone who'd gotten it down poor like this. You know, I know that you weren't expecting me, but I... No, I wasn't. I guess that's why I set an extra place at the table and why I haven't let Dad start dinner. Oh, Jane. Oh, Walt, I think you're wonderful. I know you're a weatherman and all that, but how did you know the rain would start just when it did? Darling, it's really very simple. My coins hurt. Oh, Walt. Nowadays, you can't find one person on a whole day's travel who believes in rainmakers. Now, that's partly due, as we have seen, to cheerful young scientists who set out to disprove the quack doctrine of the rainmaker. When we, the American people, need to get a job done, we don't rub our hands against a rabbit's foot. We roll up our sleeves and go to work. That's the spirit that has given America more and better practical applications of science than any other country in the world. Our Burgess Meredith will return in just a moment, but first here's Gain Whitman speaking for Dupont. Did you ever move a zipper up and down slowly and watch the way the little teeth lock together? Try it sometime. You can marvel at the thought and planning that go into an airplane engine or an automobile, but for downright ingenuity in a small package, a zipper is a minor miracle. You find yourself wondering who was clever enough to get the idea in the first place. How the little teeth are made so accurately. How they are attached in exact alignment so that a simple, easy sliding motion closes them. Soon now, zipper fasteners of Dupont nylon plastic will appear on ready-made clothing for women. Nylon fasteners can withstand boiling water and are not damaged by the ordinary heat of ironing. They will not rust, nor will they be affected by the usual dry cleaning solvents. So light that they can be used on the sheerest marquettes and chiffons, they are strong and durable enough to give long service on heavy garments, and they can be run through a washing machine without trouble. The first to reach you will be black or ivory-colored, but manufacturers plan to add a range of colors in popular shades. When our Dupont research laboratory produced the first nylon, no one in the Dupont company would have predicted that nylon would one day be used to make zippers. The vigilant, never-failing ingenuity of people working in other businesses, however, saw in nylon plastic a better material from which to make slide fasteners. Nylon plastic is one of the Dupont company's better things for better living through chemistry. And now, our star, Burgess Meredith. Thank you. And now, if I may, I'd like to talk for a moment about traffic accidents. According to the National Safety Council, the traffic death toll during the holiday period is almost three times as great as for the same time during the rest of the year, to safeguard against accidents to reduce your speed while driving to fit the prevailing road and weather conditions. And remember, accidents don't always happen to somebody else. Each one of us is a potential accident victim, and no one of us can afford to be careless. So keep tragedy out of your home. Drive carefully. Thank you. Next week, the Dupont Cavalcade brings you Shirley Booth in The Woman on Lime Rock. It's an unusual and dramatic story of the sea of Ida Lewis, who in 1858 took her father's place as keeper of the light at Lime Rock, Rhode Island. For 52 years, Ida Lewis kept the light burning in fog and storm, good weather or bad for the men who went down to the sea and ships. Be sure and listen next Monday at this same time to The Woman on Lime Rock, starring Shirley Booth on The Cavalcade of America. The music for tonight's Dupont Cavalcade was composed by Arden Cornwall and conducted by Donald Borees. Our Cavalcade play was written by Frank Gabrielson. In the cast with Burgess Meredith tonight, we're Ted Jewett as the Colonel, Vicky Bola as Jane, Edgar Stalier as the Professor, Alan Hewitt as Brown, and Cameron Proudhon as McDonald. This is Ted Pearson wishing all Cavalcade of America listeners a very happy new year from the Dupont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.