 The mutual broadcasting system in cooperation with Family Theatre Incorporated presents transcribed in another year starring Ruth Hussie and Glenn Langen. J. Edgar Hoover is your host. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Now a special message from tonight's Family Theatre host, J. Edgar Hoover. The greatness of America, the future of our nation, depends on all of us. America's destiny rests in the hands of every individual, regardless of race and creed, in every town and city throughout the nation. During the recent years, major crime has been on the upswing. At the end of the last war, age 17 led all the other age groups in arrests for serious crimes. More and more children are being led toward crime as parents throw away responsibility. Selfishness is too often the keynote of the day and materialism the inspiration for living. God in many instances is not accepted in the home and concepts of morality have been relegated to the junk heap. Can a nation exist void of all religious thought and action? Can we have internal peace without morality? Can we build homes without God? Or have worthy parents who do not know and practice his teachings? The key to these problems, to life itself, is God. He is man's first need, his final goal. Our nation is sadly in need of a rebirth of a simple life. A return to the days when God was a part of each household. When families arose in the morning with a prayer on their lips and ended the day by gathering together to place themselves in his care. If there is hope for the future of America, if there is to be peace and happiness in our homes, then we as a nation must return to God and to the practice of daily family prayer. J. Edgar Hoover will speak again later in the program. Now tonight's Family Theater stars Glenn Langen and Ruth Hussie in the original radio drama titled, In Another Year. Quiet now. As father of this family, it is my happiness to announce again our New Year's custom in the Gordon Home. A custom with which you children and your mother are familiar. All of you have your names on the papers, John? Yes, father. Roger? Yes, dad. Mary? Yes, daddy. William? Uh-huh. What? Yes, daddy. That's better. Mother? Yes, dear. All right. I'll mix up your papers. Whom shall we be honored to have as our first speaker of the evening? Let's see. Hmm. It's my pleasure to introduce... It's the way it's going to be, Helen. Our future home. And every one of our children will have your blue eyes and... Oh, Helen, will you marry me? Oh, it's beautiful, Elle. Very beautiful, but... Helen, you're always raising objections. Well, I think I should because we have to be practical, Elle, and you're more of a poet than a lawyer. Oh, I love you, Elle. Well, just because I'm dreaming about what our future home will be like, you say I'm not practical. Well, it isn't that alone. You have to dream, Helen. That's being practical. Engineers and architects... Well, everybody that's going to build something worthwhile has to dream about it. But, Elle, you're only earning $25 a week, and here we are in the middle of a depression. Well, that's just it, honey. We are in a depression. That's why I'm earning only $25 a week. We've had depressions before, and the country always gets out of them. Yes, but things are so bad now. Listen, Helen, this is the first of January 1933. If you'll marry me, I bet in another year or two I'll be earning $50 or $100 a week. Oh, you know I love you, Elle, and I have faith in you, but I think we should be more practical if we want a real home. Wouldn't it be wiser to put it off for a year or two until times are better? Well, you're just out of law school. Between us, all we have is $300 in the bank. Oh, I know, honey, but we have faith and trust in one another, and in the future. Ah, you see, everything will work out just as we planned it. Well, Elle, it would take at least $300 for the furniture alone, and then, well, after that, we'd be living from hand to mouth. No, that isn't true, darling. Look, I've got it all figured out. We'd put $200 down as a deposit on the furniture and pay the rest on installments, and we'd have $100 for our honeymoon. $100? Don't you want a honeymoon? Yes. Well, then it's all settled. Don't worry about finances. I've got that all figured out. You see, I earn about $100 a month. Now, there's a little apartment up in the Bronx I've been looking at. That'll be $30 a month, and the grocery bill wouldn't be more than $20, and the gas and electric would be about $10, and the other odds and ends, they certainly wouldn't be more than $15, so we'd have $25 a month to pay for the furniture. Helen, it's the simplest thing in the world. All right, Elle, you've got it all figured out, haven't you? You're not as impractical as I thought. All right, Helen, I'm the most practical guy who ever loved any girl. Oh, it's going to be wonderful. Oh, only there's one thing we have to settle. What? I want at least two little girls. Well, I still think we're being extravagant coming out to a place like this. Honey, we deserve a celebration. After all, our six-month anniversary only comes once in a lifetime. Besides, we just have to celebrate my first raise. Boy, dollars a week. Oh, I won't have to be juggling that budget so much now. It's been pretty tough on you. I know. But it's going to be different from now on, honey. Yes. Yes, it is going to be different from now on. Sure, we're on Easy Street. Come on, honey, let's dance. Just the two of us like this together. We'll have to get out and celebrate more often, honey. Well, I have a little secret I want to tell you. You mean to say you've been having secrets behind my back? Well, this is your secret, too, Al. My secret? Yeah. It's not going to be just us two much longer. No! Oh, it'll bring us even closer together, Al. Honey, this is wonderful. We'll name him John. Well, it could be a girl, you know. We'll call her John. How about Mary? No, no, no, honey, that's not the way we planned it. It's got to be John. All right, all right. It'll be John if that's the way you want it. Honey's going to have blue eyes, just like you. The things at the store? Oh, guys, I forgot about them completely. You know, I was just... Al, sometimes you're the most forgetful man in the world. Yeah, it was just the... Well, what happened now? Oh, nothing. Is John feeling all right? Oh, yes, yes. He's fine. He came here and said it's only a little call. Like all babies get that. It's nothing to worry about. You know, I was really worried about the little Dickens this morning. He's asleep now. Well, Al, I'm going down to the store and get those things. What did I put that list? Al, what's wrong? For two days you've been going around in a dream. Is everything all right at the office? Yeah, yeah, I guess so. Well, there's something wrong, Al. I know. Oh, Al, and I... I didn't want to tell you this. I was hoping that... Well, what is it? Things aren't going too well. Well, you haven't lost your job. Well, not really. The company's voting up. Oh, no, Al. Oh, it can't be. Just when... I'm sorry, honey. Well, just when we had the furniture paid for, it's taken over a year. Now I thought everything was going to be all right. I'm sure something will turn up. Just trust me, honey. Just trust me. I haven't seen you for years. Huh? It is Al Gordon. Yes? Joe Carey. Al, it's good to see you again. Why, it's six, seven years since we finished law school together. Seven years? Yes, the years have been rolling along. How are things going with you, Joe? I can't kick. Got myself set up with the old man in his law offices. It's all right. Good deal, Joe. Glad to hear it. How's it with you, Al? Oh, I guess I can't kick either. Things have been up and down in the past few years. Yeah, I heard you're married. Yeah. You remember Helen Fromer? Why, sure. Say, you're a lucky guy. Yeah, I guess I am. I have three nice kids, too, Joe. What do you know? That's great. Three boys, Joe. Say you're doing all right for yourself. Where you located, Al? Oh, I've been doing little odds and ends. Oh, what office you in? I'm not in an office right now, Joe. Uh-huh. Been a little tough, huh? Oh, it hasn't been all smooth sailing, but I'm doing all right. Yeah, you were always a guy to be in there punching when the going was tough. Well, that's sure nice seeing you again, Joe. I've got to run along. You're going this way, Al? No, I've got to run over to the library. I have a couple of references I want to check. Say, look, why don't you drop around to our place sometime? What? I mean, step into the office when you have a chance. Let's have lunch someday. I'd like to get your opinion about some maritime cases. I remember you sort of specialized in maritime law. Oh, yes, I did once, but I haven't had much of a chance to... Well, here's my card, Al. Drop around and you know there aren't too many maritime lawyers these days and we've been stacked up on some cases. How about tomorrow? For lunch? Well, thanks. Yeah, Joe, tomorrow as well. Oh, OK, I'll see you then. Yeah, thanks again, Joe. Helen. I've got... Helen, what's the matter? Well, I'm all right, Al. I'm only feeling a little sickish. But you look pale. Well, I'm just resting for a little while. It isn't anything. Oh, gosh, honey. Is there anything I can do? I'll call a doctor. No, no, no. I'll be all right in a few minutes. Besides, we have so many bills the way it is. Al, I don't know where we're going to get the money this time. Honey, that's what I wanted to say. I'm at Joe Kerry. I was just walking along the street today and he comes right out of nowhere and plants a job in my lap. I'm sure it's a job. It's going to be maritime law. That's what I've always wanted to do, honey. And I never got a chance. Oh, Al. Helen, darling, you're crying. What's wrong? No, I'm not. I'm just... Oh, this isn't... I'm happy, Al. How's it going, Al? Oh, fine, Joe. This cargo case was a kind of a tough nut to crack, but I think I've got the answer here. I'm working on the brief now. You know, I think your ancestors must have been pirates. I wouldn't be at all surprised. Well, Dutton and Kerry don't seem to have any objections when you can smell out a solution to every salvage proposition. Say, did you know the old man called me in yesterday and told me how pleased he was about the Filksberg case? Look, better take it easy around here. I'm beginning to feel I shine only in reflected glory. Sure. This is a kind of work I've always wanted to do, Joe. I love it. How are things at home? Everything all right? Yeah, things are going fine. Sometime next month is a big day. Good. I'm going to be waiting around for the cigars. Too bad it's going to be a girl, Joe. Otherwise, I'd name them after you. But this time, it's got to be Mary. Oh, you're sure, huh? Yeah, yeah, I thought I'd be generous about it this time. Helen's entitled to a girl. This one is going to be Mary. Nurse, is there any word? I'm sorry, Mr. Gordon. It's... Dr. Bagley will be out in a minute. No, no, please. Can't you tell me? What is it? Why don't you wait in Dr. Bagley's office? It's just down the hall. I'm going that way. No, no, I'll wait here. Oh, God, I wish I was something I could do. Mr. Gordon, there's Dr. Bagley now. Oh, thanks. Doctor! I'm sorry, Gordon, old man. It was a little girl, just as you said. We did everything we could. And Helen? Your wife's going to be all right. You can go in to see her, but for only a few minutes. And don't say anything. She doesn't know yet. Now, when mommy says you've got a bed, it's off the bed. You're going. And remember what I told you about a big job all of us men have to do around this house from now on. Oh, I know, I know. We have to take care of mommy. I'll beat you to- Let me carry Billy, honey. We'll be careful. You'll wake up. I have him all right. You know, Helen, there's something I wanted to tell you. You've been so brave about Mary. Oh, if you want to know, Al, I'm really not brave. I resigned either. My daughter would have meant everything to me. I know, honey. That's why I was going to tell you about meeting Oh, Mr. Weatherly this afternoon. He was saying we should be very happy. Happy? He meant about Mary. He said that now we have a little saint up in heaven all our own. Well, I never thought of it that way. Our own little personal angel. Well... Hey, hey, hey, hey. Let's have a little quiet back there. A fender could fall off and I wouldn't even hear it. How do you like it, honey? Our thing's the finest car we've ever owned. Well, that's a fairly safe statement since it's our first one. Now something else, honey? I have a little secret. Oh? Any idea where we're going? Not in the slightest. I hope you do. Alfred Gordon, you're up to something. Well, I'm not quite up to it yet. Got a few more miles to go. Where? Hey, hey, hey. You'll be surprised. You'll be surprised. Everybody opens the door. What's this all about, Al? Oh, it's just something I wanted to stop and have a good look at. What? Come on, come on, come on. All these youngsters tear the back out of my golden chariot. Oh, it's lovely up here. Yeah, there's no place like the country. Ah, fresh air, sunshine, green grass, and there's a little town right over that hill that has stores, banks. Well, you're not thinking of moving up here. That's just what I am thinking of. You mean this empty house over here? Yeah, you know, I was talking to a fellow last month and I think, Helen, we're going to be able to swing it. You want to go in and see what it's like? Can we? Sure, I've got the keys right here. Come on, man, we've got something to investigate. Al, Al, have you bought it? No, I haven't bought it. Oh. But, honey, I've been thinking, maybe we could pay for it by installments. You know, like we did. Well, that doesn't... We're back on the installment plan. Yes, but this time I'm going to love it. Oh, I've always wanted a real home of our own. Mrs. Gordon, may I have the pleasure of carrying you across the threshold and conducting you through the Gordon Castle? Oh, I mean, it's only Thanksgiving, but this is going to be your Christmas present for 1941. We're a lucky guy, Al. He must have seen this coming. How's that, Joe? You're all set up. Why, with your background, they'll tie you to a desk in Washington. Maybe. Say, fella, don't get any crazy ideas. You've got a wife and kids. You've got responsibilities. Yeah, Joe, we've all got responsibilities now. It's my kids I'm thinking about because I want to see this country stay the way it was for me, where a guy can start from the bottom and work his way up. I'll go along with you on that, Al. What are you doing, Joe? I'm shipping out next week. Well, let's get together before you go. Come on up and have dinner with us. We're pretty well settled down that little place we have up in Pelham. I'd like to, Al, but this is... Oh, come on. What do you mean? You're not going to just disappear, chap. Stick around on some island in the Pacific long enough and I'll catch up with you. Nice going, Al. Well, it's all right. Good luck. Joe, I never said a lot of thanks to you for what you did, but you always knew how I felt. Ah, forget it. I was just looking out for the interests of the company. It's meant a lot to me. Yeah, well, I'll be going. So long, Al. So long, Joe. I'll catch up with you someplace. Oh, Daddy's got a uniform. Daddy's got a uniform. You look almost like an admiral. He has a big coat like a man who opens the door down at the department store. Man, you better be careful what you say. The Navy wouldn't like it. What'd they do? You're not kidding, Johnny. Roger, better stick up for the Navy from now on. I'm going to be a same man. All right, all right, boys. Let Daddy go inside and take off his coat. Have they all been good boys, Mummy? Should I tell Daddy about the long list I have? Oh, gee, Mom. You promised you'd forget about the list. And honest, Mom, I'm going to be good from now on. Me too. I'm always good, sometimes. Did I hear someone talking about a list? There's no list today, Daddy. No, Dad. We've been good. Haven't we, Mom? Well, not too bad. I understand. We've been good. Yeah, better be. And promise me, you're going to do everything Mommy tells you. Oh, sure we will. Yes, Jamie will. Do you want to sit down the rest of while, Al? Yeah. And her isn't quite ready yet. You boys can go out and play. OK, come on, Roger. Hey. Let's raise our hands. Oh, you look tired. Things been pretty hectic for you lately. I was just thinking, I don't have half the difficulties there on your job taking care of those three Indians. Oh, I love it. That's why you're so good at it, honey. You know, Al, when we sit here like this, I often get to wondering what Mary would have been like. You still miss her very much. Well, I guess I always will. Having a daughter in the house would have meant so much to me. Yeah. Did you have any word yet where you're going to be assigned? What was I doing? Al, you're not playing the slightest bit of attention to what I'm saying. Oh, I'm sorry, honey. I was just thinking. The way things are working out. Well, we didn't plan it this way. Well, all our dreams can't come true, Al. It never happens that way for anyone. Oh, but we've had a lot of happiness together. When this is over, well, I better get out of this dream and get into the kitchen. Everything will be burned to a crisp. Helen. What? Don't move for a minute. I want to remember you standing there, just like that. I don't know where you are tonight as I'm writing this letter. I know it's someplace in the Pacific. But wherever you are, Al, I know you'll be thinking of us this New Year's Day. I want you to know that we've been thinking of you and praying for you today. It's 10 o'clock now. The children are all in bed after a busy day. We observed the old Gordon family custom, and I took your place to introduce the boys for their speeches. Well, they were all surprisingly good and all about you. They send you their happy New Year wishes. Because they said you're the bravest daddy in the world. And I think so too, darling. Oh, now I must give you the speeches. It's been a long letter, Al. I guess I shouldn't be worrying you about the furnace breaking down and things like that, but I thought you'd like me to tell you. You know, our only thoughts and dreams are about you. Looking forward to the day when you'll be back with us again. You know that the war is over, thank God that won't be long. I was sorry to hear about your friend Bob Saunders. I know you must have been very close to him. It's sad his little youngster now without a father or a mother. Well, I'll thank God every day of my life when you're safe back home again. Oh, my love. Good night, darling. This is the new year of 1948, a year that will be marked with opportunities for all of us. I hope every member of the Gordon family will take advantage of each opportunity that's given. And now for your New Year's resolution speeches. You have your names all written? John? Yes, Pop. Mary? Yes, Daddy. Roger? Yes, Dad. William? I have my speech already. Fine. Mother? Yes, darling. All right, I'll mix up the papers. Whom shall we be honored to have as our first speaker of the evening? Well, it's my pleasure to introduce a lovely young lady. Mary. Well, this is my first New Year's speech and I really... Well, I guess I've got a lot of resolutions and I'm very happy in my new home and I want to thank everybody. And this is going to be the loveliest year of my whole life. That's my resolution. And that's about all of my speech, too. Very good, Mary. Very good for your first speech. And now, we have as our second speaker. The kids went to bed quietly tonight. No pillow fights. Yeah. Al, do you remember this night 15 years ago? Yeah. It's a long time to look back, dear. It seems like a whole lifetime now. I mean, in a way it seems only like yesterday. Remember when you were telling me all your plans for us? Oh, wonderful plans, Al. It's surprising how many of them came true. Yes. And the most wonderful thing, the way Mary came to live with us. She's like her own daughter now. Her father would be happy to know she's with us, honey. Bob Sanders was a guy with great hopes and dreams for his little girl. Like you have, Al, for all of us. Yes. And in another year, who knows? Maybe some more of them will come true. In another year has starred Glenn Langen and Ruth Hussie. Now our family theater host for tonight, J. Edgar Hoover. The foundation of our democracy was built upon a firm faith in Almighty God. As our nation grew and prospered, as it overcame vicissitudes and adversities, its people never lost faith in a personal God. Our generation, it seems, has allowed all faithful religious practices to slip into oblivion. As a result, family life has been weakened. The nation has suffered, and many of its children have become spiritually starved. A godless home is built upon sand. It is an inviting breeding ground for moral decay and crime. My hope for the future of this nation is predicated upon the faith in God, which is nurtured in the family. No outside influence of a constructive nature can overcome the lack of a guiding light in the home. And the spark of this light must be the knowledge of God. The fuel must be the strength of prayer. This is the first day of a new year, a year in which great things will be accomplished, we hope. But the greatest thing we, as individuals, can do for ourselves and for our country will be to keep our families together in peace and happiness. There is no better way of doing our part for home life in America than by re-establishing the daily practice of family prayer in our homes because families that pray together stay together. I wish every family from coast to coast a joyful and happy new year. Good night and God bless you. This series of family theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who felt the need for this kind of program by the mutual broadcasting system which has responded to this need and by a friend of the New York Foundling Hospital which cares for homeless and motherless babies without distinction of race, creed or color.