 Ladies and gentlemen, the railroad out. And here comes our summer show train. Tonight the Association of American Railroads presents a new musical play by Lawrence and Lee. Journey into the Sun starring Gordon MacGray and his guest Dorothy Warren Show. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff and our music is prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Yes, tonight another musical first is brought to you by the American Railroads. The same railroads that bring you most of the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the fuel you burn, and all the other things you use in your daily life. And now here is our star, Gordon MacGray. Tonight we go back almost a thousand years for our story, Journey into the Sun. Dorothy Warren's show will be vangcha. My name, Marco Polo. They call me Marco of a million tales. The tales of Travis Thorne, The Rising Sun. For I am a strange precarpony to hear. Travel too far you will come to the edge of the world and fall off. And you will be gobbled up by the great turtle who swims with the earth balanced on his back. I will take that chance. I must go to the east. To behold the marvels men say are hidden there. Beyond the mountains and the dread deserts. Beyond the legends and the lies. And I shall write a journal of my travels day by day of the wonders that I see. A voice, a woman's voice seems to be calling me. I must follow where she leads. First day, thus I begin the journal of my travels. I set out by ship from Venice. My destination, the seaport of Acra, in the land of Palestine. Twenty second day, I arrive in the Holy Land and join a caravan of merchants who are traveling to the east. Ninety seventh day, traveling on foot, we arrive at the ruins of Babylon and pitch our tents in what was once the Garden of Eden. Four hundredth day, the caravan goes no further. But I shall attempt alone to scale the lofty heights of Pamir. One must creep along the face of a cliff which drops three miles into the valley below. It is truly the rooftop of the world. The air will scarcely fill out a man's lungs and the fires have no warmth. I am weary unto death. Sometimes I seem to hear voices. This voice, I must not answer. From the journal which you carry, they found you in the mountains weak with fever. The caravan from Kabul brought you here. But what country is this? You are in the vein of Kashmir and my name is Vang Shah. Oh, thank you, Vang Shah. But why have you been so kind to a wandering stranger? Are we not all strangers? Wanderers? And when the paths of our caravans chance to cross, shall we not be friends to one another? I think it was your voice I heard along the canals of Venice calling me to journey toward the sunrise. And I have waited long in the fragrant vineyards of Kashmir knowing not why I lingered. Come with me, Vang Shah. Where? I must travel on to the court of the great King of the East and deliver to him the greetings of the princes of Europe. Then must you be on your way, Venetian? What? Those who deliver messages to the mighty Kubla Khan are not advised to dally on their way. Who is this man? My cousin, Prince Ahmed. As soon as the strength returns to your limbs, Mr. Marco, I advise you to depart from our land. For you have already outstayed your welcome in Kashmir. But why does Prince Ahmed hate me? He distrusts all strangers. After I travel to the court of Kubla Khan, I shall come back to you, Vang Shah, and we will be married. I will wait for you, dear Marco. You will be with me in my mind and my dreams always. Always? You will not forget me? How can I forget you? Your kindness, the soothing cooness of your touch. Come on, Prince Ahmed. And the dungeon awaits you. Why? Those who consort with strangers are not worthy to mingle with our people. Take her to the castle of Amritsar. No! No! In just a moment. Compared to a brand new car, a lovely new home, or the latest radio or television set, a railroad freight car may not look like a very impressive symbol of America's high standard of living. But in a very real sense, that freight car and millions like it are one mighty big reason why so many Americans are able to afford so many of the good things of life. For American mass production, which makes it possible for us to afford not only the necessities, but many of the luxuries of life, calls for a mighty job of transportation. And that's a job for America's railroads. For only the railroads with the tremendous capacity and high efficiency, made possible by trains of cars on tracks of steel, can do it with the necessary dependability and economy. The railroads link farm, mine and forest, factory, foundry and warehouse, with city, town and village in every corner of the nation. In doing this job, the railroads move more tons of freight more miles at a lower average charge than any other common carrier transportation system in the world. To keep on providing that kind of mass transportation, efficient, dependable, low-cost transportation, so vital to the commerce and re-armament of the nation, the railroads must continually expand and improve their facilities and equipment. This year, as in each of the past six years, the railroads have earmarked more than a billion dollars for that purpose. But to carry out that program, the railroads must have the steel required for new locomotives and freight cars and for repairs to existing equipment and facilities. Two of our railroad hour premiere, Journey into the Sun, starring Gordon MacRae as Marco Polo and Dorothy Warren-Scholl as Vang Cha. 712 days. I have now journeyed farther toward the sunrise than any other traveler from Europe. I have arrived at the fabulous city of Zanadu where the all-powerful emperor of the east holds his summer court and his palace is an incredible sight to behold. Here in Zanadu, did Kubla Khan stay pleased. Kubla Khan bids you welcome and offers you the hospitality of Zanadu. Will you express my deep gratitude to the Khan? But tell him my most urgent wish is to have audience with him so that I may continue on my way. It is necessary that all subjects patiently await the pleasure of the great Khan. But I am pledged to be married. The wedding time approaches. How long may I have to wait? Think not on the passage of time, Marco Polo, but hear the lesson of the temple bells which grow not old, but ring more sweetly with the flowing of the season. I shall die with longing for you, Vang Cha. The temple bells are ringing. The young green corn is springing. The marriage month is drawing near. One will see me at once. I'm astonished by the wealth and splendor of your domains. I fear my people will not believe me when I tell them the wonders I have seen. You shall show them then. Name any gift you like. And it shall be yours, Marco. This moonstone ring from my finger, this golden sword which I wear. There is but one treasure which I desire, O mighty Khan. A girl who dwells in your province of Kashmir. Her name is Vang Cha. Vang Cha. I fear the one gift you ask is not obtainable. You have word of her? Swift through the night and noon run the messengers of Kubla Khan, my son. What news have you from Kashmir? Is this Vang Cha a maiden in the household of Prince Ahmed? She is his cousin. No more. What? With the coming of the marriage month, Vang Cha will be his bride. She would not be so faithless. How do you love this woman, Marco Polo? How? I am old and wise in the affairs of the world, my son. I know that most men love, as they would love a flower, delighting in its fragrance and the softness of its petals. This is not love, but indulgence merely. It is love when the lover seeks to delight the flower, and each falling petal makes him die a little. I shall die altogether if I lose Vang Cha. There may yet be time. You will travel with my swiftest message betters over the roof of the world to Kashmir. But I cannot stop the wedding of a royal prince. You shall bear a letter to Ahmed with the seal of the great Khan. And if he breaks that seal before his wedding hour and reads my command, Vang Cha will be yours. I turned my back to the sunrise and fled to my love. What took me months in the journey eastward was covered in a day's time. For my guides knew every trail, every mountain pass. Weakened, exhausted, still I urged them on. For the sands of the hourglass fell heavy on my heart at the thought of losing Vang Cha. I made the difficult descent into the veil of Kashmir. But even before my eyes beheld the pink walls of the palace, I heard a sound which chilled my heart. Stumbling with weariness, I ran through the dusty streets to the palace. Ahmed! Prince Ahmed! Who called? The Venetian. You come at an appropriate time, Marco Polo, to witness my wedding to Vang Cha. I bear a message for you from Kubla Khan. Congratulations, no doubt, from his Imperial Majesty. Break the seal and read. Very well. No. How does Kubla Khan learn these things? His eyes are everywhere, Ahmed. I am the most miserable of Allah's creatures. They said a messenger had come with... Marco. Vang Cha! Kubla Khan is as good as he is great. Read his command. Let me see. To the sooth around Prince Ahmed of Kashmir, our Imperial anger aroused that you have forced the maiden Vang Cha to marriage by imprisoning her in the castle of Amritsar. We forbid this wicked marriage and require that Prince Ahmed shall languish in prison a month for every day that the maiden suffered there. I am free. You need not marry Ahmed. The marriage month is here, dear Vang Cha. Our vows may be fulfilled at your pleasure. Nay, at your pleasure, my husband. The temple bells are ringing. The young greenhorn is ringing. And the marriage hour is finally at home. We'll be back in just a moment. Now thanks to Ted Osborn, Bill Foreman, Marvin Miller, and to our entire company. Journey into the sun based on the famous Music of the East was written especially for the railroad hour with new lyrics and libretto by Lawrence and Lee. The railroad hour is brought to you each week at this time by the American Railroads. Today as the peace-loving nations of the world close ranks against the threat of further regression America's defense effort becomes increasingly important to the free world. What can you do to strengthen our defense program? Well, one of the best ways to help is to buy more United States defense bonds. There is no safer investment, no more convenient way to save and no sureer way to help build a more secure future for your family. If you're on a payroll, buy on the installment plan. Ask your employer to set aside part of your wages each payday towards the purchase of the bonds you want. If you are your own boss, use the bond a month plan where you bank or simply buy extra defense bonds at any bank or post office. Remember, defense is your job too. You must be tired from all that traveling, Gordon. Well, Dorothy, traveling in Marco Polo's time wasn't nearly as easy as it is today. I wonder what the old Venetian would think if he could see a modern train. Well, I bet it would surprise him more than all the wonders of Kublai Khan. Well, anyway, Dorothy, I'm going to get rested up next week for I'll be taking a nap for 20 years. Rip Van Winkle? Rip Van Winkle. And you're going to find out some things about the old boy that I'll bet you never knew. Does he seem like Gordon McRae? Exactly. I mean, the strange thing is his wife sings just like Dorothy Warnshaw. The week after that, Dorothy, I'll be trimming my royal beard as the emperor of San Francisco. And the week after that, on October 1st, our show train begins the winter season with Dorothy Kirsten and Cole Porter stirring musical success jubilee. All aboard. Well, sir, it looks as though we're ready to pull out and so until next Monday night, this is Gordon McRae saying goodbye. Gordon McRae can be seen in Warner Brothers on Moonlight Bay. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboth and our music is prepared and conducted by Carmen Dragon. This is Marvin Miller saying goodbye until next week for the American Railroads. Now stay tuned for your Monday Night of Music on NBC.