 The Iron Forces Radio and Television Service brings you the Hollywood Radio Theater, starring Van Heffen and Nancy Gates in The Big Trees. Ladies and gentlemen, your producer, Mr. Irving Cummings. Greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen. In the northern part of California are the glorious Redwoods, giant trees that were full-grown thousands of years before our history began. It's difficult to believe anyone would be mercenary enough to destroy it. But the early days of California, such an attempt was made. This is the story of the Big Trees. And as our stars of this action-packed Warner Brothers picture, we have Van Heffen and Nancy Gates. Now act one of the Big Trees, starring Van Heffen as Jim and Nancy Gates as Alicia. In 1900, the Congress of the United States passed a law that made a man in Wisconsin believe in magic. The magic that makes money grow on trees. His name was Jim Fallon. He was tough, and he was smart. And he knew that there were Big Trees in California ready to make him rich. The trouble was that Jim Fallon's lumberjacks in Wisconsin wanted their pay. And Jim Fallon needed the money to get started in far-off California, which spelled Big Trouble for Mr. Fallon. Get out! Boss, you better talk to the men. They're pretty mad out there. Now what's the matter with you, Frenchie? You're supposed to be a pretty good timber, boss. I can't talk to them anymore, that's all. Charm, Frenchie. Charm and sincerity, that'll do it every time. Without them, no man can afford to be corrupt. Now watch closely. And gentlemen, I want your help. You had our help. I can do that if that's what you want. I was gonna deal you in on something where you could all make some real cash. If you want your pay, you'll get your pay. We've had that before, Fallon. Let me handle Fallon, boys. Leave him to me. Fallon, we've had enough of your stalling and cheating and blue skyin'. You said you had to cash to pay us off? Produce it. I don't carry the payroll around in my shoe, Hawkins. Hear that, boys? He's at it again. All right, Fallon, get going. Going where? Get out of town and get out now. When I get ready to get out of town, I'll get... Now! Funny, a flea-bitten bobcat gets a gun in his hand. He turns into a snorting tiger. You know better, Fallon. You know I don't fool much. Now you shot a couple of men in the back, Hawkins. You know that? Are you gonna get going? No. I'll start counting. Drop that gun, mister. Who? Drop it. I said drop it. You heard the man, Hawkins. Here's he shoots, too. All right. Not your blies, you, Mr. Hawkins. Now get... Who are you? What makes you think? Get. Now, I'd like to thank you, mister. Names Yukon Burns. Well, you're my good luck, Yukon. Because Hawkins is a pretty tough guy. Here, wouldn't have an honest job for a fellow. And kind of broke. Job? No, wait a minute. Don't... Don't go away, Yukon. All right, you men. Now listen to this. I can pay you off, like I said. Or I can make you my partners in a $100 million deal. There's redwood trees in Northern California. Trees as big around as... As big around as this here office. No, I'm telling you. They're there. They're that big and bigger. There's enough board feet in one of those big redwood logs to build 100 houses. Hold it, boys. Look in there. I've seen them. Are those trees are so warping big you have to chop them down twice to make them fall once. Good boy, good boy. You've got him laughing. Now... Now get this, boys. Get this. There's been a new law passed in California. Homesteaders in the redwood timber have got to get off that land. That means that new claims can be filed on the timberland. And, boys, it's first come, first served. And if you want in on the richest thing you've ever heard of, you've got to act now. Now, how about it? Partners with Jim Fallon, and you'll all be rich. I need... I need the payroll to get started in California. Are you with me there? Thanks, boys. We're in business. All right, back to work. You'll get word when I want you to join me in California. You sure swung that, mister? Yeah. Thanks to you again. I figured if a fellow like you said there was such trees out there, there was. Do you mean to tell me that you never saw them? You've been further west than Wyoming. Not counting the clown days. Well, come inside with me, you con. I've got work for you. How did you make up, boys? Where were you when the pistols were in season? I didn't know there was that kind of trouble. You weren't looking out of the window, no? I don't carry a gun. You throw a knife? But, boss... Never mind. You con, this is French. He's my timber boss. How do you do? You con, I think maybe you're lucky for me. You've got an honest face. People seem to take a liking to you fast. I'm pretty hungry, though, if you don't mind. How would you like to go out to Redwood, California as my representative? Him? And do what, Mr. Fallon? Just spread the word that James L. Fallon is on his way. Tell him what a square shooter I am. Just show that honest smile to the natives and tell them that they can't lose with Jim Fallon. Beyond? Sure. Good. Here's some money in advance. Buy yourself a steak, and then I want you to report right back here. Sure, huh? That'd be nice being wanted again, Mr. Fallon. Now, you call me Jim. Yeah, well, thank you, Jim. Are you crazy sending a sourdough you never saw before on an important job like this? No, you'll do fine. I like an honest man. Hey, come a little scarce around here. Closing the land office, and I'm keeping it closed. I insist you unlock that door, Mr. Keller. Keep that door closed. Perhaps you don't understand, Keller. This goes for you too, Mr. Whatever your name is. It's Yukon, Mr. Whatever your name is. My name's Greg, and I own the Redwood Sawmill Company. And I'm going to finance the natives hereabouts to file for temper claim. And I won't let you go ahead and steal homesteads that my friends have owned around here for 50 years. Steal? Sounds like plain claim jumping to me, Mr. Gray. It's the law. And the law says in plain terms that all claims filed under the Stone and Timber Act of 1868 are hereby rendered null and void. I know all about that. Game here. And land agents, that's you, Mr. Keller, are instructed to accept applications for the forfeited temper lands when accompanied by a filing fee of $125 per quarter section. $125 filing fee for each quarter section is stealing, Mr. Gray. You're not fooling anybody, Yukon. Keller, this man is scouting the biggest trees in the county until Jim Fallon gets here to file the choice claims. And now you look here, Greg. Jim Fallon's going to pay the simplers here for every claim he stakes out. For the last time, Keller, unlock this door. Unlock this door, Mr. Keller, and the best I can promise here is a decent funeral. Well, I understand they've been giving you kind of a rough time, Yukon. Oh, it wasn't too rough. That you're here, though, I want you to tell them personally what I told them, which is that you're going to pay a fair price to the homesteaders for the land. What? You hear that, boss? This is crazy, man. This is, frankly, Yukon did exactly right. Butch! That's good work so far, Yukon. I'll take over from here on now. Yeah, I'm sure glad you're here, Jim. Go on, Frankie. I told you that fool prospect was crazy. Going around saying you're going to pay good money for free land, pay for stuff you can get for nothing. Nobody's going to pay anybody anything, Frenchie. As soon as the boat brings my loggers into town, I'll run them into the land office and file. Now, relax. The door's open. Well, come in. Come right on in, ma'am. Stand up, Frenchie. Mr. Favon, my name is Alicia Bixby. I came to thank you and your man Yukon for protecting our homesteads. Oh, well, all right, you can go now, Frenchie. Well, excuse me, Miss Bixby, you were saying... My father was one of the first colonists in the Redwoods. He loves the trees very deeply. I see. Oh, well, have a chair, Miss Bixby. Thank you. You see, all the Redwood villages have found peace and security among those great trees. A peace that seems as eternal as the Redwoods themselves. Well, I'm afraid that kind of talk is a little over my head, Miss Bixby. Let me assure you, Mr. Favon, we're not eccentrics or cranks or cultists. Well, if you feel that way about it, why haven't you filed on your land? Multiply 400-quarter sections by $125, and you'll have 50,000 reasons why we haven't. No cash. Hardly any at all. You've had all that timberland and you're broke? Well, we never bothered much about money. There was no need. No, but 400-quarter sections of living gold. I know it's hard for outsiders to understand. That's why I'd like to have you to dinner with us. I'd like my father to explain it to you. I'm sure he can do it much better than I can. Well, thank you. Maybe when I'm a little bit more settled. Please, Mr. Favon. I... He also wants to thank you for what you're doing for us. Well, frankly, Miss Bixby, it'd be difficult. Please? Well, all right. I'll meet you at the Bixby Grove at six tomorrow evening. You can't know where it is. I'll be there. Let's look at them trees, Jim. The oldest living things in the world. Here, con, there's a hundred homes and every one of those redwoods. Hey, Jim, look. Now, Miss Bixby and her people, they don't want any of these big trees touched. That's not at no price. I promised them you wouldn't. You're right. Well, there's plenty of smaller stuff to cut, Jim. I figured I was speaking for you when I promised it. You're my agent, sure. But... Well, I did great, didn't I? These colonists trust you the same way I do. On account of what I told them about you? Sure. Well, that's what you were here for, you con. I know if you place Gray with these folks, you'll do all right, all right. Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. Miss Fallon, you con. Oh, we'll talk about this some other time, you con. I see you con's been showing you our trees. Well, meet your folks at Bixby for dinner. Excuse me, ma'am. Aren't they wonderful, Mr. Fallon? Great. They're an inspiration and a poem. This is the forest primeval, the murmuring pines and the himlots. Only they're redwoods. We'll talk more about the trees at dinner. Father's waiting for us. I want to say to you the best way I know how, Mr. Fallon, is we're obliged to you. Well, that's all right, Mr. Bixby. No, it isn't, Mr. Fallon. You've done a fine thing. Don't know how else to say it except thank you and, and God bless you. Amen. Yeah, isn't that right thing to say? We think so, you con. Practically speaking, Mr. Fallon, I know that the trees mean profit to a lumberman like you. Mr. Fallon has been impressed with the side of our great sequoias. Then maybe he understands some of our feelings for them. Well, I do, sir, but what about the other loggers? They must come to realize, too, that the sequoias are more than trees. They are the everlasting living sign of our creator's wrath. 4,000 years old. As old as the Bible. Older? Yes, well, I'm afraid that most lumbermen won't feel quite that way about the trees. Then they'll appreciate the plain hard sense of the matter. Which is? Which is? It's cheaper for them to cut three smaller trees than one great tree for the same amount of lumber. That makes the cutting of the great sequoia nothing short of vandalism. Well, maybe. But sooner or later, the smaller trees will be gone, then why? The big trees must never go. Yeah. Oh, look at that time we've got to go. Got to be up before breakfast, you con. Well, thanks for a very nice evening, Mr. Bixby. Miss? That girl telling me it's cheaper to log into smaller trees than the big ones. I've been lumbering ever since I was 17 years old. What are you trying to hand me? Jim. Jim, you keep talking like you mean to log those big ones. And you keep talking as if I can pay for thousands of acres of trees and not log the choice ones. Well, these folks were... Now listen to me, you con. Once and for all, I'm not paying anything for the land, not when the government says it's mine just for the filing fee. Jim, you can't cut down on the big trees. It isn't a cathedral, you lunkhead. It's a standard timber. You know what I think. Don't think anything. Just do as I tell you. You sound like a dirty claim jumper to me. Now listen, I picked you up when you were a gun-totent bum. And now listen to you. I never was a bum. I never shot to kill. And all you think of is to destroy me. Shut up! All right, Jim. I trusted you. I'd sure like to be your friend, but I can't be a friend and no man I can't talk to. All right, Jim. All right, now wait, wait, Justin, and don't... Look, you con. You con, look, we've been good friends. We're a good team. We don't want to break that up. I guess maybe I can pay a little something for the land. I'll, uh, I'll talk to Ms. Bixby. When? The first thing tomorrow. There's so much beauty here. Such majesty and power and wisdom all around us. And billions of board feet of top grade lumber. Joking, aren't you? I'll tell you, miss, I'll pay you a royalty of one percent of the gross on all the logging that's done on your timberlands. You throw in whatever logging equipment you have, and, uh, oh, what's the matter? Nothing. Two percent? Anyway, I, I respect you for trying to do what you don't have to under the law. I respect you for trying to do what you don't have to under the law. Thank you kindly for the nice apple butter, but how much did your dad tell you to hold out? Please, I tell you, we're not interested in the money. Or aren't you interested in two percent? We only want to save the trees. All right, suppose I offered you another half percent. That's two and a half percent of all the gross. Now that's real money. No. It's only lumber. There's a fortune in it at two and a half percent. Look up, Mr. Fallon. Look up and you'll see trees, not lumber. These trees were giants before Christ was born. They stood here in the thunders and the rains when this convent was a wilderness. They witnessed our struggle to become a nation. You can't, you can't destroy the majesty and the beauty and the dignity of 4,000 years. Three percent. That's my final offer. Just don't understand. Look, now look, my loggers are coming in on tomorrow's boat. I'd go away, please. Oh, come on, this tree worship of yours is just plain primitive. You're the one who's primitive. It's childish. Go away, go away, please, just go away. Act two of the big trees in a moment. Make a friend and you make an ally. There's a thought for you to keep in mind as many another American has. When Mark Twain first traveled abroad, he hit upon an idea which was to bring a note of seriousness to his writing. He decided to tour Europe and write a series of articles which might erase the existing prejudices that Americans had for foreigners and vice versa. He wrote about the questionable behavior of some American tourists abroad and about the European stubborn refusal to recognize the fact that such Americans were not an honest picture of their countrymen. Well, gradually people all over the world became interested enough in his writings to buy his books. Through them, they learned to understand and respect each other. After his marriage, he and his wife visited Australia, New Zealand, Ceylon, and India. And his writings continued to strengthen the bond of international friendship. Here in his own words is an example of his understanding of people. I came to England, he once wrote, with the intention of writing a devastating satire on your form of life. I anticipated finding great humor in your English culture and your social customs. Instead, I found English home life to be a substantial and altogether admirable institution. Your society furnishes examples to be followed rather than satirized. You've given me a fuller understanding of your country and your people. He also gave America a fuller understanding of England, for he discovered that by helping others, you help your country. Now our producer, Mr. Cummings. Act two of the big trees starring Van Heflin as Jim and Nancy Gates as Alicia. There can be no understanding about the big trees between Jim Fallon and Alicia Bigstate. And the following day finds Fallon's lumberjacks landing noisily in Redwood. And Jim Fallon leading them to the land office to file his claim. Gentlemen, will you please form an orderly line to file your claim? That's all right, Kelly. Just talk to me. I'm the orderly line. Well, I thought you were going to file in the columnist's name, Mr. Fallon. That was last week. My boys are filing. So if you'll just hand me the application, blanks, I'll pass them out to my boys. Well, now you understand that the filing fees must be in cash. In this bag, Mr. Keller, in cash. Yeah, but excuse me. Judge, Judge Crenshaw. What's this now? Well, I asked Judge Crenshaw, the circuit court, to come down and give me some kind of interpretation of the new law. I hope you don't mind. Yes, I mind. The law is plain and clear, and I don't like being treated like some swindler. Good afternoon, Mr. Keller. Well, Judge, this is Mr. Jean's palace. How did it? You please tell Mr. Keller that his land agent, he is not only authorized, but required to accept all bona fide applications for timberland here. That's correct, Mr. Keller. Let's get on with it then. Gentlemen, gentlemen. You better tell old man Bixby the same thing, Judge. Good afternoon, Mr. Keller. Judge Crenshaw, Mr. Fallon. Tell him, Judge, and let's get on with this. Mr. Bixby, I've just told Mr. Keller that he's obliged to accept applications from anyone mean enough to profit by this land grab law. Sure, sure, sure. And I'll thank you for a stack of those applications, Keller. Wait. Suppose some of us can raise the filing costs. It's first come, first served, Mr. Bixby. Step up and get your application. Here you are. Right here. Oh, here you are. You're coming. Not me. You're welcome to file. I'll pay the fee. I want to talk to you. What's on your mind? What about doing big trees? The big trees are the ones I came to get. I promised Mr. Bixby here and all the rest of them. Oh, right. You can't, I understand. Mr. Fallon, we could have cut enough timber to raise the filing fees. But because of you, Cron, we believed in your intention. I made a promise to my men. You promised them something that you could deliver legally, perhaps, but not with justice and a clear heart. I'm very sorry, Mr. Bixby, but my men are getting impatient. We trusted you because of Yukon and because life among the great trees breeds trust. Unhappily, sir, we know you now. And somehow we need to beat you. Well, all's fair, Mr. Bixby. More power to you. Good afternoon, sir. Judge Yukon. Look, Jim, you made a lair out of me and fools out of them nice people. Not anymore. I'm beyond of that, Yukon. You heard what the judge says. No gunplay. You mean? I mean, no filing today. Yukon, put that gun away. Fill out those blanks, man. Yukon here is just a great big trustin' kid. He wouldn't shoot anybody. Would you, Yukon? No, Fallon. He wouldn't. All right, get on with it, boys. Passage way up, please. Fill them out and turn them all in. Mr. Keller has my money. Afternoon, all. Hey, boys, wait a minute. Yeah, fancy. I was just in the land office. Yeah, I saw you there. You took care of Yukon. That's good. You like that, huh? Fine. Fine. Yukon Burns is something you'll never be, Frenchie. A man and an honest man. Think that over, Frenchie. Now, Frenchie, what happened just now? Shut up, Greg. Why did Fallon knock you down? If you saw it, why'd you ask me what happened? I'd never treat a timber boss a mind that way. Go on, beat it. Look, uh, why don't we have a drink together, huh? That is, if you ever decide you, uh, want to change employers. When is a better time to write now? I tell you, folks, I'm on to Jim Fallon now. All he understands is force. What can we do, Yukon? Well, you've got some big men in these woods. This is tough as any man Fallon's got. Call him together and tell him. No, Yukon. Our people are opposed to violence. Not to mention the law's opposition to vigilantism. What's that mean, Judge? Meaning that we can't do it. There's nothing we can do, Yukon. Well, there's no such thing as nothing, Judge. It's absolutely nothing we can do to prevent those applications of Fallon's from going out to Washington tomorrow. It's done if that's in the fire. Yeah, huh? Nothing can keep Fallon from getting this timber now, but... Not an act of God. Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Now, then, Dolph, this is on fire. Oh, what do you want me to do about it? Our applications for the timber land is all in there. Our applications? Yes! Come on! Judge, how did this happen? Nobody seems to know, Mr. Fallon. Well, something, Cousin. Tell me, what do you know about this? Well, nothing, Mr. Fallon. The fire, Mr. Stout, is out there. We can't get some more water on that roof. They're doing the best they can. All my applications are in there. I haven't thought about that. I'm afraid they're gone now, Mr. Fallon. What about my money? Well, your money was transferred to the bank this afternoon. All right. Now, look, I want you to give me another batch of application blanks tonight. That won't do any good, Mr. Fallon. You can't file again until they send duplicate title records from Washington. And that takes time! Well, sit down, please. Glacier, Mr. Bigspie, you come. How's things? Now, Mr. Fallon. Judge, I want to know if I'm really supposed to believe that last night's fire was an accident. That's a pretty serious statement, Mr. Fallon. Are you prepared to make any specific decisions? No, I'm not. But it's your job to appoint a marshal to investigate that fire. Very well. Mr. Burns. Yeah? I appoint you marshal of Redwood, and I charge you to look into the matter of last night's fire. Yukon! I don't rightly know that I knew anything about it, Judge. Seems to me likely to act good. Looks like the lord is on the side of the colony. Well, he hasn't provided him with filing fees. We'll make money for filing fees by cutting and selling timber. You try that, Mr. Bigspie. You'll all find yourself in jail for cutting timber that you don't own. Is that right, Judge? Quite right, please. You hurt him, marshal. Aren't you worried, Jim? I'll do my duty when the time comes. That's all I want. Thank you, Judge. What can we do? You're still gonna fight him, ain't you? Like your dad says? Yes. We'll cut timber to get the filing fees. We'll risk the consequences. Yukon. Yes, ma'am? You didn't start that fire, did you? It was an act of God, ma'am. This court is now in order. Marshal? Yes, your honor. The defendant's all present? Yes, sir. What's the charge, Marshal? Mr. James fell in charges that the defendant was cutting down trees on land that they no longer got title to. That's correct, Mr. Fallon. That's right. Those claims are now the property of the United States government again. I am your honor. Mr. Bixby, what do the defendants plead? Guilty as charge, your honor. Mr. Bixby, have you anything to say in your defense? No, your honor. Will the defendants please stand up? This court sentences each of you to 30 days hard labor. Marshal! I remand the prisoners into your custody. You ought to see that they are put to work cutting timber on government land, said timber to be transported to Tidewater here in Redwood. Wait a minute! What do you think you're doing? Just what do you plan to do with those logs? Mr. Fallon, section 7, paragraph 18, the penal code. Trinkets or other saleable objects produced by prisoners may be sold and the monies they're from given to them at the time of their release as an aid to their rehabilitation. You call logs 40 feet long trinkets? Compare to logs 200 feet long they're trinkets? Another outburst like that, Marshal, and you'll be cited for consent of court. Marshal, put the prisoners to work. Now wait just one minute, judge! Or dismiss. Okay. Yeah, come on in. What do you want? You're in a lot of difficulty, Fallon. I've been in difficulty all my life. What's on your mind? Look, you're in a race with time against the columnists, Fallon. You've got to sit tight until those duplicate feeds come from Washington. In the meantime, the columnists will try to raise enough money to reclaim those timberlands. That's right. As homesteaders, the columnists have prior claim on the land, if they can raise the money. I know that. What's your point? The point is that you're using up your capital paying your idle lumberman. And I have very large resources. Well, my warmest congratulations on your very large resources. I got a proposition for you. Yeah, what? Your interest coincide with mine. I suggest a partnership between us. Go on. In which I shall contribute the financing, you shall contribute what amounts to your option on the timberlands, if the columnists are unable to exercise the priority. Suppose they are able. I'm not worried about that. I understand that Frenchie Le Quo is working for you now. Now that's right. Good man. I think so. Yeah, you would. All right. I need the money. I'm interested in it. But there's one condition. No rough stuff. Oh, perfectly legal. What's your deal? I got a contract right here. Yeah, look it over. I'll wait. Mm-hmm. Very short, only a couple of paragraphs. Yeah. Well, Fab. Wait a minute. What's this? An event of the death of either partner his share shall go to the other partner in its entirety. That's right. What's the idea of that? Well, that's protection for you or for me or on both of us. Mm-hmm. You've got a deal. In a moment, act three of the big trees. The letters G-Y-A signify German youth activities and whatever such an organization exists in Germany, you know that there, the way of democracy is being taught and encouraged. Our occupation forces are helping out through G-Y-A, developing healthy interests through group handicrafts and hobby projects. A girl by the name of Helga is one example. She was pretty confused when she joined a G-Y-A group. Her father had been very much anti-American and she reflected his ideas. Luckily, she won a trip to Switzerland in a handicraft contest. Once on the trip Helga learned that the Swiss people and the American women in charge of the tour were very different than her father had pictured non-Germans. She won't change overnight but she wants to learn more about the workings of democracy and her education is continuing through G-Y-A. Such acts by you and your friends today are shaping our world of tomorrow. Let's pause now for station identification. The curtain risers are on act three of the Big Trees starring Van Heflin as Jim and Nancy Gates as Alicia. Having signed a partnership agreement with Jim Fallon, Cleve Gregg returns to his office to brief his new timber boss in a plan of action. Our problem's this, Frenchie, to prevent the colonists from cutting enough timber to pay their filing fees Any suggestions? You're a logger, you know the kind of accidents that are bound to happen in lumbering? A log chain breaks, equipment gets lost or damaged or maybe dangerous to use? You know the sort of thing. Even a widowmaker? Yeah, why not? Logging's a dangerous business. Just how dangerous is this going to be for me? Let me answer that question by asking you one. Who's the most unpopular lumberman around here? That's easy, Jim Fallon. If the colonists began looking for somebody to blame for these accidents, who would it be? All right, get going, Frenchie. Hold it a minute, Michael. Hey, Yukon, my show. How about giving us a hand here for a minute? Well, I'm in law, Mr. Bixby. I hope to see you two fellas work. I hate to bother you, but we're short-handed. Thank you. I'll be glad to help you. Thank you. Let's go. We'd like to talk to you. What about? It's about the colonists, Mr. Fallon. We can't stomach what you're doing to those people. I'm not doing anything to them. Too many widowmakers falling on them, and they ain't no accidents. I've told you something I'm doing. What's going on here, men? We could explain it. Maybe it wouldn't be bothering us, men pounded in timber without stopping to eat, getting hurt without fighting back, just singing to high heaven. That kind of faith ain't mortal. Get out, both of you! Go on, get out! Come on, Ollie, let's go. He ain't human. Hey, bartender. That's fooling yourself down, huh? Make that two, will you? Why name him? I'm the ticker who I drink with, Craig. No? What about you? I'll tell you what's the matter with me. You're gonna cut out those accidents. You've been pulling on the ladies, or I'll break your neck. Easy, boy. Easy. I'm your partner. That's right. That's right. You're my partner. We made a deal. I wasn't hard to deal with. I was broke. All I asked for was one condition, Craig. One condition. No rough stuff. Right? You're pretty drunk, Fallon. Right? That's right. I agree with that. You know what I was talking about? No, Fallon, I can't rightly say that I did. Well, I'm telling you now. I don't want any more accidents. I don't want many more people getting hurt and killed. Now I'm warning you, Craig. Look, this logging industry isn't dairy farming. And it isn't quilting in San Francisco. It's rough. It involves risks. The risks are greater when people don't know what they're doing. I'd advise you to pull yourself together. Yeah, you're the one to lecture, aren't you? You make up your mind, Fallon. Are you my partner or are you theirs? That's all. You think about it. Yeah, it sure was. Shooting his mouth off? I don't think he knows which side he's on, friendship. I mean, you did something about it. Yeah, time I did. Then it will be just Greg and me crawl, huh? We'll talk about that afterwards. Be careful, though. What's the matter? The radio trail. You're a fighter. What's happened? You'd better go right away. It's the idea, Yukon. Fallon? What's the matter with you? Fallon, I ain't ever killed a man. I hope we never do. But you saw I never do. Pray God, let it be you. You're crazy. You're sick. Let it be you. Let it be you. Tell me, what did I do? What do you think I did? What did you do? Where'd the makers come down on my prisoners? Long things, jumping, broken tracks. You did it all right today. You sure did it upright. I swear if I ever pin it on you for certain, I won't even take you to court. I'm telling you. What happened? Alicia? Tell me, Yukon, was it Alicia? Get yourself a hand off me. Get him off me. Who? Alicia's father. Alicia's father. Yukon. Now, Yukon, I swear, I swear I had nothing to do with those accidents. I'm a rough guy. You know that. I punch hard. I drive when there's a deal. Let's take sure. But I don't mean. I don't kill. Yukon, you believed in me once. There must have been something there to make you trust me. Believe me now, Yukon. Does she hate me? I don't know. Well, should I go to her? You better keep away. I've got to see her. She's got to know that I didn't do it. To him? Are you all right? Yes, I'm all right. For me, another accident. And after me, too. Hey, you're not going out now. I've got to. All right, I'll go with you. Don't be a fool. I'll go with you. I'm the marshal, ain't I? Don't say anything about this to Alicia. Thank you for coming here, Jim. I had to come, Alicia. I had to tell you that I wasn't responsible for your father's death. I had nothing to do with any of those accidents. Somehow, I think I knew that. There was only some way that I could repay you for all that suffering that you had. You, your father, all the colonists. Thank you for wanting to, Jim. I know it's hard for you to understand. Just why we wanted to save the trees. This was your father's glade, Alicia. These are his trees, right? He loved them so. Then let's not let them take his trees away. I know he was set against force and violence. Blessed are the meat for they shall inherit the earth and all that. But if they can use the earth with not a blade of grass or a tree on it. I don't understand. These are your trees and your groves. These are your homes. It's time to start fighting for them. Who wants to inherit the earth when the strong get through with it? Why do the meek and the honest have to take the crust and the leavings of the guys with the guns and the knuckle dusters? Don't, Jim, please. I'm one of the strong. Or I was until I had the props knocked out from under me lately. But I still know all the holes. Alicia, look, let me talk to the men here and the girls. Let me talk to them for just five minutes. Many of you men have died for these trees. Well, if you're willing to die for them, you should be willing to fight for them. Now, I'm here to help you. The only way to stop the accidents and the tampering with your equipment is with armed guards, able and willing to shoot for keep. And cut timber, cut timber every day in the week as long as there's light to see and get it down that river. Cut enough timber and cut it fast enough and you can get back what belongs to you. It's up to you. Now, what do you men say? Yeah, sure. Now, what's your problem, Yukon? Jim, I said, hey, you're down the river to investigate that log jam. Well, what you call it, eh? That wasn't a log jam. It was a dam. A dam? That's what it was. Well, there's no dam on that river two weeks ago. There's one there now. Was any of our timber getting through? Not a log. And I'm the rest of it here. A couple of men in the garden with guns. Are you sure of that? That's what it was. Well, did you get a good look at them? I got a pretty good look at one of them. One of Greg's been here to me. Thanks, Harry. Look, uh, Harry, don't mention this to anybody, will you? I won't say a word, Mr. Teller. I'll make up with you. Same thing you do. Greg controls the river. We haven't got a hope as long as that dam's there. What are we going to do? Well, I think that better go into town, Yukon. The foundation of that dam's been there since the old mining day. No trick at all to build it up again with logs. Is that legal, Jack? No, it's not. But by the time the courts order it torn down, it'll be too late for the colonists to save their land. Well, then I know another way to stop Frenchie and Greg from cutting on that land. I've known it for a long time. Yeah? But you'd have to admit to subterfuge and intent to defraud when you filed those claims for homestead, and that's felony. Sit down and drop an affidavit. You not only go to prison, but the government will hold all your claim money for it. I think I can do about it, Judge. Make out an affidavit and I'll sign it. But now look, I want you to hold that and you're safe. If anything happens to me, then use it. Dynamite, caps, use, revolvers, anything else? Now you better have Harry come along to cover us with a rifle. Where are those guards you were telling us about, Harry? They were about over there. They couldn't ask for a better night to put us. No, we couldn't wait for the dark and moon. It had to be now. You ready, Yukon? Yep. You know what to do, Harry. Don't worry. I'll keep you covered. Good luck. Let's go, Yukon. That moon wasn't quite the date. Careful of those logs, now. They can be rough going on. Right? Yeah, all right. Keep low. It's coming through or about the rest of it. Come to the dynamite. Twist the ends of the fusers together so we only have to use one match for both of them. We'll put one chart here. And hold your breath. Go out the match. Can I do something about that? You know what? Get us pinned down. We can't move. We can't stay here. We'll be blown to bits. How much fuse left on that dynamite? About two minutes. Come on. What do we do? How much fuse? It's going fast. How much? A minute. You said two minutes. Well, I don't know. We've got to take our chance with Frenchie. Get set. When I say now, I'll run for it. These logs are the best you can. Ready? Yep. Now. End of the brush. You can't jump. The last shot come from this side of the river. Yeah, I know. Must have been hairy. Poor Frenchie cashed in. Here's enough dope on Greg to put him in jail the rest of his life. Well, your trees are safe now, Leisha. Not my trees, Jim. Our trees. They belong to all of us. Look at that tree right over there. The real giant is that. You know what? I bet there are more than a hundred houses in that tree. You know what, sweetheart? They're going to stay there, too. In a moment, our stars will return. Letters that come to this show from servicemen bear postmarks from all over the world. And it's plain to see that, well, that they're having a wonderful opportunity to observe new customs and traditions among people of other lands. They're finding out, too, that these ideas of other people aren't so strange after all. For instance, take this example of hazing. At one of England's famous schools, Winchester, every new boy is required to go through a certain routine. He runs up a nearby hill, St. Catherine's Hill, around a certain deep trench, finds his way blindfolded through a group of trees, takes some chalk from the pit there, carries it to a very large cross that's carved out of the ground, and lays it on this cross before returning to the school. This ritual has been going on since the 15th century. Well, now, all this might sound strange and pointless. Let as our servicemen have observed, we have our own forms of hazing or initiation. Anyone who's joined a high school or college fraternity, an athletic group, a social club, or other organization has found that out. There are meaningless phrases to be memorized, duties to be performed for the seniors of the group. They're all part of the ritual of becoming a member. The prescribed conduct of the incoming class at West Point, for example, contains elements that date back almost to the founding of the institution. As it is with other customs and traditions in various countries, the way of doing things may be different, but the ideals are the same. These customs are important to the people who follow them, and our servicemen are helping to maintain goodwill by observing the customs of other people in other lands. Now, here's Mr. Cummings with our stars. And here they are, Van Heflin and Nancy Gates. Well, we enjoyed tonight's play. I'm very partial to California history, even if it's northern California. Now, next week, it's time for another of our 20 greats of the past. And we're going back to the days of hilarious and zany comedy to bring you one of universal to national greatest laugh getters. It's My Man Godfrey. And as our stars, we will have that lovely young actress, Julie Adams, co-starring with one of our most popular leading men, Jack Chandler. Well, now that sounds like a great combination, Irving. Good night. Good night. Good night. I'm hurry back. Turning our cast tonight, we're Tim Graham as Yukon, William Conrad as Greg, and Ted DeCorses as Frenchie. Radio Theatre is produced by Irving Cummings. Our orchestra is directed by Rudy Schrager. This is your announcer, Ken Carpenter, inviting you to be with us again next week at this same time for another presentation of the Hollywood Radio Theatre. This is the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.