 from Hollywood, this is C.P. McGregor speaking, and welcoming you to another broadcast of your War Department program, Proudly We Hail. Through the courtesy of the Hollywood Coordinating Committee, we present the brilliant actor, Mr. Bill Williams, as the star of our play, East to West, written by Joel Malone, music by Eddie Skravanik. Our story is about a great engineer, Theodore Judah, who foresaw the route which made possible our first cross-country east to west railroad. The scene opens aboard a sailing ship Orion, which brought this young engineer and his bride Anna to California. Well, Anna, captain says we'll get our first glimpse of California by this afternoon. I still can't believe it, Ted. Havana, Rio, around Cape Horn. And now, California. It's been wonderful, Ted. Every minute of it. It has been. But think of it, Anna. Four months of travel, 14,000 miles. When California is only 3,000 miles away, a railroad across the Sierra Nevada is the only answer. And I guess I'll never be satisfied until I build it. Now, Ted, we're building a railroad up the Sacramento Valley, not all the way across the country. You're wrong, Anna. I consider that the beginning. The ground work for the real job. An east to west railroad is my dream, and I just can't wake up from it. San Francisco Bulletin, the first shipment of rails for the Sacramento Valley Railroad, arrived here from England last Wednesday. Construction is under Mr. Theodore Judah and the defense. Classer, Harold. Good news. Yesterday, a hand car was swung under the first mile of completed track for the new railroad, and the Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Judah took California's first railroad ride. The Outer California Gala Celebration, Meredith's Hotel in Folsom, is the scene of a gala occasion tonight celebrating completion of the glorious Sacramento Valley Railroad. Wonderful event, Judah. Congratulations. Thank you. Anna, let's get out of here for a minute. No, I didn't. It'll be cool out on the verandah. Well, this is nice. Know something, Ted. No, what? I'm proud of you tonight. It's the nicest thing I've heard all evening. I've neglected you ever since I started on this job, Anna. But I'll make it up to you someday. Have I complained? No. That's just why I want to be sure you understand. It's not over, Anna. I'm going right to work on the Transcontinental Railroad. There's a group of businessmen in Sacramento, Huntington, Mark Hopkins and Stanford and several others. Yes. I've talked to them before and I'll admit they weren't very enthusiastic. But I have a feeling I can win their support. Now, wait a minute, Judah. This proposition you're suggesting is fantastic. Yes, you forget, Judah. Huntington and I are just hardware merchants. Crocker, dry goods man and stand for the grocer. You're talking in terms of millions. But Hopkins, once we start, I'm certain the United States government will back us. I doubt that. Congress is all tied up with this slavery question. Besides, every time a railroad is mentioned, the south fights it if the route is to go north and the north blocks it if it's to go south. I'm aware of that difficulty, Mr. Stanford. But consider this. We'll first build a roadbed to the mining areas that will serve as a wagon road to the mines. The revenue we realize from this alone will keep the project moving. Well, gentlemen, this may mean my ruin, but on the basis of the wagon road, at least I'm willing to investigate further. All right. I'll listen to, but no promises. Fine, gentlemen, fine. I'm taking the first boat back to Washington. I believe that help from the United States government is not out of the question. Well, that's my plan, Mr. President. Hopkins and Huntington, together with Mr. Stanford and Mr. Crocker, have agreed to supply the private capital. Now we need government help. Mr. Judah, may I say that your enthusiasm, your faith in the future of our country at a time like this is an inspiration. Thank you, Mr. Lincoln. However, we must be practical. Oh, you mean you don't feel you can support my plan? On the contrary. Mr. Judah, I once said a house divided against itself cannot stand. I was referring to a social and political barrier. But you've convinced me it applies to geographical barriers as well. Mr. Judah, you'll go back to California with the full support of the United States government. Our story continues in just a moment following an important statement, which the Honorable Thomas E. Dewey, governor of the state of New York, recently made. After the most cruel and exacting war in the history of mankind, the armed forces of the United States and our allies achieved victory over the enemy. Great as that victory was, it has brought with it correspondingly great and new obligations. America's contribution toward world peace will depend in large measure on the strength of our regular army. The entire country agrees that this should be a volunteer army, a force of men who give this service to their country and to the world by their own free will. Under the new enlistment act, service in the armed forces of the United States is attractive and more promising than ever before in our history. It offers to able-bodied men an honorable and active career comparable to those available in private employment, especially when we consider that the scale of pay is over and above all living, housing, clothing and medical expenses. As governor of New York, I earnestly call upon the young men of our country to give serious consideration to enlistment in the regular army so that the victory we have bought at such terrible cost may not have been won in vain. And now we continue with our play east to west starring Bill Williams. Welcome home. Thanks. Well, Anna, everybody seems to be here to welcome us this time. You deserve it, Ted. And they appreciate what you're about to do. Hello, Judah. Hello, Mr. Huntington. Judah, we'd like to have a conference with you right away. Well, I guess Anna will forgive me. Of course, Ted. I'll wait for you at home. But don't be long. Only a few minutes, dear. All right, Huntington, let's go. You had a long meeting. Yes. Why? What's wrong? There's been a disagreement about the route the railroad is to take. A serious one. The way I suggested in Washington is best for the transcontinental, but not for the trade with the mines. Trade with the mines? Or but that's secondary now. No. Huntington and the rest have a sound argument. They feel that without the revenue from the mining traffic, the whole project may be pulled under financially. Well, what are you going to do? I don't know. I'm afraid the only hope is to go back to New York and raise some new private capital to take the place of the revenue lost from the mines. Oh, Ted, I can't be separated from you again. I won't be. But I'll be going by way of the isthmus, honor. I wouldn't ask you to run all the risks. You're not asking me to go, Ted. I insist on going. Into the isthmus, Mr. Judah. We'll be saying goodbye again. Watch out for that young wife of yours. I will, Captain. See you soon on the return voyage. Well, we reach Gatun Lake soon, senor. Good. I hope we can rest before we move on. We're very tired. See, now we load the supplies into the canoes. Oh, yes. Yes, I... Ted. Ted, what's the matter? Nothing, I... Senor, senor, let me look at you. Oh, deus. Oh, is it? What's wrong with him? The fever, yellow fever. We must get him to a doctor. We'll get you on the boat for New York. Everything will be all right. I know what the doctor told you, honor. Oh, Ted. Ted. Don't, honor. Please. I want to talk, and I see something so clearly now. I... I'm sorry. I always let the railroad come first. Don't say that, Ted. Railroad was your work, your life. I shared it with you. I didn't ask anymore. Our life together, honor. Plans. And now, even the railroad, gone. God, you really think that, Ted? I know it will fail. But don't you see, Ted, it won't be built their way. Your way is right. They'll find it out. Sure, they'll find it out. The railroad will stretch out across the valleys, through the passes, like you've always said, and... Oh, Ted. Ted. The valleys, and over the mountain, in every mile, my darling. And only a short time later, construction on the Transcontinental Railroad was started. They followed every detail of the plan he had laid out. And that's the story of Theodore Judah, the planner, the dreamer. The man who, with Huntington, Hopkins, Stanford, and Crocker built the Transcontinental, and made California a closely linked, a vital part of the United States. Now we present Major General Willard S. Paul of the War Department General Staff, who is an interesting message for all of us. General Paul. The American Army has always been intimately connected with the development of our nation. Army achievements in exploration, civil engineering, public works, medical and scientific research have materially contributed both to the welfare of the American people and to the progress of our civilization. Accordingly, you, the American people, are entitled to know how your new regular Army is being built. If the Army is to accomplish successfully its difficult assignments, it will require the services of high caliber, intelligent young men, capable of absorbing technical instruction, and then applying this knowledge to the task. Men who recognize the value of an Army career. One of the most outstanding inducements to service in the regular Army is contained in the Voluntary Recruitment Act of 1945. This act extends the educational privileges of the GI Bill of Rights to those men who volunteer for service before October 6 of this year. Under the provisions of this act, young Americans can become eligible for a full college course by serving a three-year enlistment in the regular Army. As soldiers, they will receive excellent training in first-rate service schools. They will apply their skill in the operation and maintenance of the newest scientific equipment. They may be assigned a duty in this country or in foreign lands, where they will learn firsthand the necessity of international understanding. Because of their experiences, they can consequently enter college with a background of interesting, useful, newfound knowledge, and will be better able to benefit from college training. College presidents and educators throughout the country are agreed that the veteran students stand academically, head and shoulders above the average college student, because they have learned in the Army the value of determination and the personal profit achieved by completing a higher education. Your Army offers you this opportunity, a full college course free. I urge you to investigate the facts. Thank you, General Paul, and our thanks also to Mr. Bill Williams and to Governor Thomas E. Dewey for appearing on this program. Proudly, we hail will come to you again over this station next week. Listen in.