 Family Theater presents Jeff Chandler and Colonel Francis Gabreschi. The mutual network in cooperation with Family Theater presents We Hold These Truths, starring Jeff Chandler. Colonel Francis Gabreschi will be your host. Family Theater's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives if we're to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world. Family Theater urges you to pray, pray together as a family. And now to our drama, We Hold These Truths, starring Jeff Chandler. Many many years ago, Macaulay, one of the poets of our western civilization, wrote, And how can man die better than facing fearful odds for the ashes of his fathers and the temples of his gods? With that motive Horatio defended the bridge across the typer in ancient Rome. With that motive brave men determined to be free have died on a thousand battlefields of history, the ashes of his fathers and the temples of his gods. This nation of course is founded upon God, not upon gods, and the ashes of our fathers, the rock whence we were hewn, has for the natural man, the man of honor, the integrated man, a claim, even a parental claim upon loyalty and love. We celebrate the birthdays of those we love, and the day after tomorrow will be the birthday of our country, our republic, her 176th birthday, which has hardly passed the teething stage in the life of a nation. She's as beautiful as ever, and is worthy fundamentally of our love. Yes sir, this will be our 176th glorious fourth, celebrated everywhere that Americans travel, or fight, or congregate, from Kansas to Korea. Third section. Yes sir, this is still Sergeant Rudolph. Okay. What are we stopping for, Sarge? There's more reds over that hill. The battalion just says stand by. Can you start and give me a rest, that's what. Yeah, I'll bet it just wears out your little arm pulling that lanyard. Boy, how do you say that? Hey, what's Wayne got there? What you got, Wayne? Don't you guys know what day it is? Well, it can't be Christmas. Sergeant Rudolph's nose ain't red. That's the Fourth of July, men, which we celebrate in the United States. And these are called firecrackers. Hey, look what he's got. That's the whole idea. You got to celebrate the Fourth. Somebody got a match. Yeah, yeah, here. Hey, wait, wait. Don't use a match. You blow your golden fingers off. Yeah, what if it explodes in your hand? You could get a bad powder burn. Yeah, use this cigarette. Oh, careful, Wayne. I knew a fellow once that you... All right, all right. Now stand back, you guys. Be careful. Look out. Third section, Sergeant Rudolph. Here goes our message. Oh, yes sir. Roger. All right, gang. Let's get to work. And there's a plan against Bob opening up. I think the infantry's coming through. Okay, same range, four, one hundred. What's that? Ready. Ready on three. Fire! This day's been going on a long time till it's got in our blood. And although we're not one race of people, believing as we always have in unity and diversity, we have got some customs, like Sunday dinner, sports, and Thanksgiving turkey, the volunteer fire department band, and fireworks on the fourth. Breathe zero, boy, with souls so dead, who never to himself had said, this darn thing may blow off my head. Hey, Mark, just let me sell this cannon truck. Elmer? The casualty list on the fourth used to be pretty bad. No problem, not as great as the toll on our highways every holiday due to careless driving. But we do learn things as a nation. Today we believe in safer and saner forts with our national sport, for example. Who says so? I say so. Yeah, if your sight was any better, it might be worth your while getting glasses. Funny fella. Bravo! Was that a strike? Number one, I didn't swing it. If number two, it was below my knees. And number three... That's right, number three. Ah, you must have dough on this game. Lock one more crack like that, and you'll go to the showers, and boy, you need a shower. Safe and sane. No violence, no casualties. While in almost every city, the Chamber of Commerce or Veterans Organizations arrange community fireworks. Maybe she's in the brothel. Oh, I'm sure. She's not as big a scoundrel as we thought. Sure not. It's the birthday of your country. Mine, too. Mine, too. Many things happened on many forts. Eighty-seven years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, our country is locked in a war between brothers. July 4th, 1863. It is the high water mark of the Confederacy. General Lee's invasion of the North is challenged at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by a Union army under General George George G. Meade. Hit unfurling our flag. The stars in power. Lines prepare to resist the most gallant charge in history. That's kind of suspicious. They're cease and fire with their artillery. The war to probably just cool in the guns. I sure hope you fellow said your prayers. Ten thousand men, counting support on the right by General Wilcox, and on the left by General Pettigrew. Good luck, General Pickett. God bless you. Thank you, General Lee, sir. Pre-comedy, President, counting support. Fifteen thousand heroes in grave, prepared to assault a larger Union force in its ominously silent artillery, entrenched and in position on cemetery leads. Told you they were just cooling their pieces. Here it starts. Well, it's the 4th of July. They couldn't pick a better day for shooting in camps. Coaching, there must be a million of them. You may then fear glasses. The brave men march into their deaths like they'd be going to a picnic. There's their first regiment. Can you make it out, Sergeant? It might be a Louisiana outfit. No, there's second wave. Right behind them. Spread out! Spread out, warrior rebels! Spread out! Who's that? Come on, Sergeant. I'm on the side of all brave men, Americans like ourselves. They've not been dead yet. Ah-ha-ha. Yes, Tass, the first of them down. Look at that. Look at how they close ranks and keep coming. They're coming right over the bodies of the others. How can they live through that? How can they live if they get up here? Look at that, their whole front rank. Ah, he's fast. God rest his souls. May God have mercy on them. All right, men. At 200 yards. Aim. Steady now. Steady now. You're not recruits on the Boston Common. The charge fall back, but the center with General Pickup does not flinch so 1,000 have already fallen. The temples of their gods. I reckon I'm your prisoner, Yank. And on the Fourth of July, too. You mean to say you people know about the Fourth of July? No, but... Why, you jug-headed goat-whiskeyed Yank. Where do you all think revolution started? Massachusetts, naturally. Massachusetts? It was Virginia. It was Massachusetts, I ought to know. Why, you're crazy in the head. Well, I bet even foreigners know it was Virginia. Whoever heard of Virginia, I tell you, was Massachusetts. Prisoner, no prisoner. By golly, I think I'd better knock some history into your empty head. Oh, he hadn't been fighting for one day, huh? Well, if I can't look you, I'll go back to being a drug addict. It was Massachusetts, Virginia. Now, the Cemetery Ridge. Imagine the fight. And the Cemetery. And what do you say, Mr. Yankee Sergeant? I suppose you think General George Washington had come from Massachusetts. I certainly not. That's ridiculous. That's it. Massachusetts. Everybody knows that General George Washington was a tipperary man. Now, get in their proper places like good boys. The fourth had been celebrated earlier in our history with parades. Setting off of brass cannon in village greens. And in some communities, more quietly. Does that drum come inside? Your father's going to read the Declaration of Independence to the family. Yes, mother. I can't saw it. And everywhere by the ringing of bells, July 8th, 1855, four days after the 59th anniversary of the signing, John Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, dies following a lifetime of honorable service to his country. It was then, and not earlier, that the Liberty Bell rung to announce his demise. First showed the characteristic crack in its surface. Yet, before our freedom could be enjoyed, it had to be confirmed. Our infant republic, not without friends yet beset by enemies, is challenged to show whether she will pay or fight. The Barbary pirates sweeping out from their fortified ports, tunas, triples, algae is exact a heavy tribute from the Mediterranean shipping. Merchantships and even some smallest loops of war are robbed and destroyed, and their crews made slaves. For 400 years, the nations of Europe had paid, or taken the consequences. But the young United States objects to ransom and tribute. Commodore Stephen Decatur is sent to deal with the Corsairs. Next see the shores of Tripoli, as an American squadron pushes back the Algiers pirate fleet. White flag ashore! White flag ashore, sir. Yes, it appears like they want to parlay. Hold fire, Mr. Tyler. Have gunners and lead standby. Mr. Tyler? Yes, sir. What do you make of the dory? There's a high-ranking gig. I'd say an emissary from the Bay of Algiers. Shall I turn out a guard of honor, sir? Not at all. These people are not honest enemies. They're pirates. It's pretty high, I'd say, sir. Grand busier's staff. To your commanding officer, I wish to see him. You're looking at him, sonny. You are Captain Decatur, but it's impossible. You are a midshipman, so young. I'm old enough to hang you from the yard arm if you weren't protected by a white flag and by a civilized custom which you don't respect. Watch your business. Please. My master, the Bay of Algiers, wishes you to come to his palace to discuss a settlement. If the Bay wants to talk to us, why doesn't he come aboard? Because he's old and sick and weighs 300 pounds of lard. All right? I'll go ashore. But Captain, sir, you will come and discuss the settlement. No. I will come and tell your baito his face that his ships must be destroyed. All of them, by him or by my squadron, by next Sunday. I'll tell him that the seas are free, that Americans do not pay a tribute, that my government proposes to liberate all of his Christian captives at once. I shall also set an indemnity which he will pay if he likes him cold, although true justice might prefer his neck. But please. Captain's boat, prepare to lord. Never mind. I'll go in the door. But Captain Decatur, they get you ashore alone. Mr. Tarre, your guns are trained on the city. If I'm not back aboard, sir, and precisely one hour and 17 minutes, you will do for that city what the lord did for Sodom and Gomorrah. Aye, aye, sir. All right, Sinbad. Conduct me to your master, the Bay of Algiers. And that, very permanently, was that. 40 years earlier, May 15th, 1776. The Confederate soldier may have been right in claiming his state as the birthplace of our independence. For on this date, at Williamsburg, the Virginia Convention adopts the resolution instructing its delegates to the Continental Congress to move for complete severance with the Crown. June 7th, 1776. In accordance with these instructions, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia makes the motion. Aye, seconded, Mr. President. John Adams of Massachusetts. The Committee of Five is appointed to draw up a declaration. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and the chairman, Thomas Jefferson. No fewer than 47 alterations are made in Jefferson's original. On June 28th, the Committee of Five brings the draft to Congress. For a year and a half we have been at war, gentlemen. Lexington and Concord have passed into history, and our fellow countrymen who have died require that we dedicate their blood to union and independent agents to a power whose soldery we are endeavoring to defeat. On July 2nd, the declaration is adopted. On July 4th, it is signed. Anonymous declaration of the 13 United States of America. In the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's guard entitle them. A decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident. That all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness. Prudence indeed will dictate governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes. And accordingly, all experience has shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable than to write themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations pursuing invariably the same object, evinces are designed to reduce them under absolute despotism. It is their right. It is their duty to throw off such government and to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been the patient's sufferance of these colonies and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former system. Had the colonies lost the war, these signers to a man would have been executed. Their property confiscated. Their families ruined and their names disgraced. This they well knew. And yet, bless my souls, Dan Cug, why have you signed your name in such giant letters? Precisely, sir, so the king won't need his eyeglasses to read it. I agree. We must hang together now. Let's be all hanged separately. Now then, who signs for New Hampshire? Josiah Bartlett. William Whipple. Matthew Thornton. Who signs for messages? Samuel Adams. John Adams. Robert Treet Payne. Elbridge Gary. From Rhode Island. Step Hopkins. William Ellery. For Connecticut, Roger Sherman. Samuel Huntington. William Williams. The representative of the United States of America. In general Congress assembled, appealing to the supreme judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions. Due in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare that these united colonies are, and have right ought to be, free and independent states. That they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown. And that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved. And that is free and independent states, they have full power to live a war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may have right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. Family Theater takes pleasure in presenting our host for this evening. America's leading jet combat pilot, distinguished ace of World War II, and with us after two years of duty in Korea, as commander of the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing. Colonel Francis S. Gubreski. This is Colonel Gubreski. I am extremely happy to be host this evening on Family Theater's program, especially this program, commemorating Independence Day for two reasons. Both concerned with family prayer. First, as you know, July 4th this year has been designated by the President as a National Day of Prayer, and he has urged all Americans on that day to seek divine guidance. Second, I am glad of this opportunity to testify to the effectiveness of family prayer. I think I know something about that, and I have no hesitancy. In fact, I may have a duty to acknowledge that protection. Because it happens that I have never gotten in that cockpit without literally turning the ship over to him and have said every time, God take over. I'm pretty sure he did, and I think I know why. The prayers of my family at home, and the family for the absent member. That is why I agree heartily with the message that Family Theater brings its listeners each week, and endorse and recommend this program's great and very true slogan, the family that prays together stays together. Ladies and gentlemen, I ought to know. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Family Theater has brought you the whole these truths, starring Jeff Chandler. Colonel Francis Gabreski was your host. Others in the cast were Mae Clark, Ted DeCorsia, Howard Culver, Tom Holland, Robert Clark, Stan Waxman, Leo Clary, Cliff Clark, Lee Millar, and Roland Morris. The script was written by Fred Nibleau Jr., with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman, and was directed by Joseph F. Mansfield. This series of Family Theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program, by the mutual network which has responded to this need, and by the hundreds of stars that have stayed screen and radio, give so unselfishly their time and talent to appear on our Family Theater stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony LaFranco expressing the wish of Family Theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home. Family Theater will not be heard next week due to convention broadcasts. Those largest network, portions of tonight's program were transcribed. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.