 I'm calling Joseph Cotton and Claire Trevor in Build Me Straight on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by the DuPont Company. Maker of better things for better living through chemistry. But first, here is Gain Whitman. With a new year underway you probably have great plans for fixing up those rooms that have waited through the long war years. DuPont offers you speed easy wall finish for beautiful and easy to do interior decorating. Speed easy is a resin oil emulsion paint that you thin with water. It is easy to apply to most any interior wall surface and it dries in less than one hour. Speed easy dries to a beautiful rich oil type finish and it costs less than $3 to redecorate the average room in one color. Speed easy is one of DuPont's better things for better living through chemistry. The DuPont Company presents Build Me Straight, starring Joseph Cotton as Donald McKay and Claire Trevor as his wife Albinia on the Cavalcade of America. In the year 1832, America was reaching out, growing into maturity. In the city of New York at the mansion of John Bull, shipbuilder, a party is being held for his daughter Albinia. Even as the orchestra plays for the dancing, a young man slips quietly from the house and walks into the moonlit garden and stands looking over the harbor. Donald? Donald? Albinia. Oh, don't you like our party? Oh yes, very much. Then what are you doing out here in the garden? I just wanted to think. All evening you've been brooding about something. Just dreaming. About ships and things. About ships I hope to build and another dream that seems even less attainable. Tell me about your ships. I dream mostly of building a bigger, faster ship, traveling, well, like that wisp of cloud passing the moon. I seem to see it there in the sky, a clean, fast new ship, proud and majestic with mountains of white sail reaching out to catch the wind. That's a beautiful dream. That's the way I see it, carrying more canvas than any ship that ever sailed. With a hull that cuts the water like a knife. What's the use of dreaming beyond the clouds? Beyond the clouds. Everyone says my head is in the clouds because of the ships I dream about and I suddenly realize that my other dream. Your other dream? When I look at you standing here in the moonlight, I, well, I feel like a mud turtle reaching for the stars. Oh, now Donald, in the first place, by no stretch of the imagination could I picture you as a turtle. In the second place, I'm not out of reach like some distant star. You're the daughter of a successful shipbuilding. What am I? A draftsman for a small shipyard. I shan't tell you how father got his dart. He spent long years before he held a position equal to yours, but father was a dreamer too in his own way. And in America, if one abides long enough by his dreams and makes an honest effort to realize them, they somehow managed to come true. You really believe that, don't you? Of course. Don't you? I want to. I suppose you have your dreams. Little dreams. Mostly centered about the big dream of the man I expect to marry. The man you expect to marry? Donald, I can think of nothing finer than a great ship like that flying cloud carrying the stars and stripes to the far corners of the earth. That's my dream. That's my dream. Well, could it be our dream? Our dream? Albania. Yes, Donald. If you wish, it could be our dream. Oh, Albania, darling. May I come over tomorrow night and speak to your father? Mm-hmm. I'd rather know how to approach him. I'd rather face a star meant to see. Father is like a storm, terrifying until you get into it. Then it's not half as bad as you thought. Well, for a perfect wedge, talk about ships, and he won't be able to resist. Just come tomorrow, darling, and bring some of the plans for our dream. Nice set of plans, young man. Yes. I can see now that you're more than a violinist. You're a good draftsman. Thank you, Mr. Boole. Now, if I may be permitted to digress, sir, I should like to ask... However, do you expect the ship of these dimensions to support this expansive sail? Oh, yes, sir. I'm sure of it, sir. Now, then, Albania and I have been... Here, my boy, let me show you the model of a ship that is a ship, the new majestic... Yes, sir, but... ...finest that ever came down our way. There'll never be a trimmer faster. Fine model, sir, but... Well, Mr. Boole, don't you sacrifice speed in a ship of this draft? Now, young man's speed isn't everything. The ship must carry cargo. And unless there's room in the hole for sufficient tonnage... Well, in my vessel, the tonnage is taken care of by an increase in length. And what in this plan of yours will enable your ship to carry more sail and travel at greater speed? Well, there are some things I haven't worked out yet, but I'll think of something. Donald, perhaps if you hued more closely to the line, you'd advance more rapidly. I hope someday to have my own shipyard. Now, then, on my plan, allow me to point out certain advantages that... Donald... Oh, Albania. Daughter, you're interrupting a very spirited discussion. I'm sorry. I just wanted to see if Donald had taken up a certain matter. Oh, uh... Have you asked him, Donald? I've been trying to. Oh, so you want to get behind your proposition now? Oh, no, no, sir. That is, uh... Well, my original intention, sir, in coming... What are you trying to arrive at? Uh, Mr. Bull, uh... Well, I came here to ask your daughter's hand in marriage. You came here to ask for my daughter's hand? Yes, sir. Well, I admire your audacity. You find fault with the finest ship of floating... I don't doubt that the new majestic is the finest afloat, Mr. Bull, but when my ship's a-launched... Nonsense. So, you want to marry my daughter? Yes, sir. I suppose you're making salary enough so you can maintain this extravagant young woman? Uh, no, sir. Uh, we'll manage, father. We certainly shall, and without help, sir. Hmm. Albinia, do you profess to love this young man? Yes, father. I love him with all my heart. Oh, you do? Hmm. Well... Well, perhaps I could make an opening for a draftsman at our own yaw. I'm afraid, sir, that I'm obliged to decline your generous offer. You decline my offer? Uh, Mr. McKay, what if I should refuse you the hand of my daughter? Oh, you could never do that, father. Then why not? Because... because I wouldn't let you. Remember, father, I'm stubborn and obstinate, too. The daughter of my own dear, gruff father. Hmm. How can a man refuse such a girl? Very well. Oh, father. If you should want that job, come around on Monday. No, thank you, Mr. Boole. I'll stay on my present situation until I have an opportunity to carry out my own plans. Our plans, don't overdo it. Yes, our plans, Mr. Boole. Was there ever a more glorious honeymoon? Never. Never under the sun? What more could a woman ask for, along with you, and this beautiful view of the sea? We can sit on the beach and watch our dream ships parading across the horizon. Uh-uh. Uh, did you say alone? There's a boy to fish right between us and our dream ship. Oh, well, he won't disturb us. Look, speaking of dream ships, what do you think of this? Well, won't you get that plan? I do it. You can draft and lay off a ship? Mm-hmm. Father taught me. Oh, father had a very apt pupil. Well, this plan's very good, but it lacks that same something that my plans do. Something that'll give it speed. That's what I'm seeking, an ocean greyhound with sails. Someday I'll find it, too. Oh, look, Donald. That little boy's caught a fish. Whopper, too. Hey, you're trying to bring it in too fast, sonny. He's so big. Come and help me. Come on, darling. We'll give him a hand. He's a big one, all right. Let him run a little. That's it. Come on, mister. Let's haul him in. Okay. But I'm warning you. He'll get away. Oh. There he goes. Look at him clip through the water. Oh, for gosh sakes. The big ones always get away. He's a clipper, all right. A clipper. Boy. Have you got any others today? Sure. Right here. A few little ones. I'll be near. Look, darling. I've got an idea. No, I'm not, darling. Darling, it's right here in nature. The natural shape of the fastest ship afloat. Oh, you mean like a fish. Oh, no, that's going too far. Look. Take the head of the fish. That's the prow and his tail is a stern. Design it on such proportions. Give it a square rig with a tall tapering sail plan. Darling, this is it. The starting point of our ship of ships. Oh, it sounds wonderful, darling. Come, we'll start our plans at once. Hey, Mr. Sir, what are you doing? Here's our model. Our little clipper made to exact scale. Oh, Donald, she really is beautiful. She's going to clip through the water faster than any ship has ever done. I spent the whole day testing her. She came through like a lady. Donald, this is a revolution in naval architecture. What do your employers think of their model? Well, they've offered me a five-year contract. You're not going to take it. I think I should. It would mean opportunity for me and security for you. Oh, security. Well, security is the first importance with a baby on the way. Donald, you want to build a clipper like this model, don't you? Like this and greater ones. I can see improvements already. Well, then we'll start a shipyard of our own. There's one for sale, boss. Now, now, darling, there's a limit to how far a dream will take you. I have no money, no backing. Donald, you've never let me touch my dowry. And I never shall. Darling, you're going to build a ship. We're not exactly the big clipper of our dreams, but we're one just like it on a smaller scale. Albania, I refuse to touch that dowry. Barometer's falling, darling. Another heavy snow and our work will be stopped until spring. You know what that means. Well, please take that worried look off your face. We'll come out somehow. I wish I'd never touched that dowry. Mr. Foster, Mr. Trane, the courier stands on our ways today, almost ready to launch. The courier stands in specifications? Yes. She's a craft of my husband's own design. A clipper ship of 380 tons. It's rather a marked departure from the conventional design, Mrs. McKay, but we'll look it over and give your request the utmost consideration. Oh, thank you. I only ask that you do not advise my husband of my interest in this matter. We understand, Mrs. McKay. Albania, are those strange men prowling about our ship? They're not prowling, dear. The gentlemen are from the packet lines. Oh, ship owners. That's different. Gentlemen, Mr. Trane, Mr. Foster, this is my husband, Mr. Donald McKay. Hi, Mr. McKay. We've been looking over your ship. I hope you don't mind. Not at all, sir. Well, they're a trim craft, you have, Mr. McKay. We have great hopes for her. She'll be capable of great speed, sir. We expect to break all records. Rather extreme in design, though. It's top heavy. You sure she'll carry all that canvas? All of this type offering a minimum resistance to the water will handle full sail and heavy blow. Might be safer to use less. She's a good tight ship, sir. My less sail would be to sacrifice speed needlessly. Indeed. These are swift moving times. I hear one of the new locomotives has attained the speed of 24 miles an hour. That's incredible, isn't it? Well, we expect the courier to do up to 350 miles in 24 hours under fair sailing conditions. The American needs vast ships if we are to realize our manifest destiny and become a major power in the world. Quite so. Quite so. And your ship might well be the answer. Mr. McKay, the running time from here to Rio in return remains at approximately 100 days. Correct, sir. How much do you estimate your courier might trim from that term? From 10 to 15 days? No, no, no, Mr. McKay. Don't make extravagant statements that you might be expected to live up to. 90 days to Rio and back is unheard of. I believe the courier can do it, sir. Mr. McKay, if your craft accomplishes that, you'll have more orders for your shipyard than you can possibly fulfill. Well, that's what we're praying for. Well, Mrs. McKay, I have confidence in you both. We'll go along with you on the assumption that it may trim 10 or 15 days sailing time from the run to Rio. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mr. Farmer. Good luck. But a few ships should fail on its trial run. I'm afraid you might find it difficult to secure additional backing. Come down to the office in the morning. We'll draw up the papers. Good day. Good afternoon. Good day, General. Good day. Thank you. Well, darling, we've sold our ship. Oh, it's wonderful, Donald. But will she trim 15 days off the running time from here to Rio? I'm sure she will, darling. She's got to. You were listening to Joseph Cotton as Donald McKay and Claire Trevor as his wife, Albania, in Build Me Straight on the Cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. With their first clippership, completed and on the way, is ready for christening, Albania and Donald McKay are surrounded by a throng of distinguished guests, including Mr. Bull, Albania's father, who came on from New York, especially for the ceremony. Here you are, Albania, the champagne bottle. Oh, yes. You'll need both hands. Oh, here, Father, you hold the baby. Oh, well, I must say, this is a part of the christening ceremony I hadn't bargained for. Come to Grand Bar. That's the boy. I certainly hope nothing goes amiss. Everything's going to be all right, sir. Father's as excited as we are. No, naturally, naturally. A ship of such advanced design, who knows? It may turn turtle or a list like a barn in the flood. Oh, now, according to my calculations, Mr. Bull. Oh, hello, Mr. Longfellow. I'm so glad you were able to get here. Thank you. Always something inspiring about the launching of a ship. Good luck, Mrs. McKay. Well, ready, dear. Swing hard and don't miss. Everything's ship-shake. Captain, the crew lined up at the bow. Run up the flag, Captain Wolves. Aye, aye, sir. Very darling. Mr. Harris, drop the shores. Lift those people back. Here she goes. Oh, what a happy day, darling. Aye, Chris and me, the chorea. Congratulations, both of you. Oh, Father, I got champagne on of you. You're all wet. I certainly am. Here, somebody, take this baby. Oh, what glorious years, Donald. Our dream ship sailing the seven seas. The flying cloud, the new world, Jenny Lin. Westwood Ho, star of empire, and now the sovereign of the seas. Father, mother. Here comes Cornelius. You know your son is getting more like you every day. Oh, and Mr. Longfellow. Oh, hello, Mr. Longfellow. Good afternoon. Great news. The flying cloud has broken all records. New York to San Francisco in 89 days. Oh, how wonderful. That is great news. Captain Chris is to be congratulated. And congratulations are certainly in order for the builders of the flying cloud. Thank you, Mr. Longfellow. You know, sir, I couldn't sleep for thinking about that poem you read at our house last night. Oh, is it bad as that? Oh, heavens know it. It's very good. Let's see. How does it start? Build me. Build me straight or worthy master, staunch and strong, a goodly vessel that shall laugh at all disaster and with wave and whirlwind wrestle. You like it, huh? Oh, yes, it's beautiful. Wonderful poem, Mr. Longfellow. Wonderful. Hardly as wonderful as your shipyard and the ship you're building here. I tell you what, I shall send you a copy of the whole poem since you like it so. And since your great ships were the inspiration. Thank you, Mr. Longfellow. My wife and I used to talk about a truly great ship with a bill someday. Yes, it's still a dream, big and frightening. Yes, it is almost frightening. Frightening? How can a ship frighten you when your every effort is to serve this great republic? The Great Republic. Albania? That's the name for the ship of our dreams. The Great Republic. Oh, it would have to be a mighty ship to deserve a name like that. But, Donald, we've gone along with you before and we've been very successful mutually, I must say. But this Great Republic... What's wrong with the Great Republic? Every other ship of my design has been a success. Yes, Donald, but... Well, a length of 335 feet and main miss of 200 feet? Oh, let's be reasonable. I'm telling you that these are reasonable plans. This ship will be the fastest and the biggest on the seven seas. It'll bring glory to the American flag. How can you hold so much timber together in one piece? Well, the first sea may break her in two. Mr. McKay, we've been doing all right on your clip. I recommend we make more on the same arrangement. Father, not a shipping man in America believes the Great Republic is feasible. This is the ship your mother and I have dreamed of. But if no one will buy it... Son, we've built ships on speculation before. I'll get backing and I'll put every penny I have into it. And even if we risk losing everything, we will build the Great Republic. This must be a very proud evening for you people. Our supreme achievement, Mr. Longfellow, the biggest, fastest clipper in the world. Who have you selected to christen her? Albinia christened our first ship. I feel she must by all means christen the Great Republic. How, Donald, I was helping you to suggest it. I beg your pardon. Did my ears hear rightly? I hope so, Doctor. Mrs. McKay, you know I've forbidden you to participate in excitement of any nature. No, but, Doctor Murdoch, tomorrow is the supreme day of my life. I must be there with Donald. Very well, but you'll be going against my orders and I shan't be responsible for the consequences. You doctors are wonderful people, but will you never build a ship? I've all managed, darling. The Great Republic. Oh, what a beautiful ship. All ready for the signal, son? Yes, sir. Captain and crew are aboard and at their stations. Run up the flag, Captain. Aye, aye, sir. Ready, darling. Here's the bottle of champagne, mother. Mother. Mother, you're trembling. Well, this is a great moment. Steady, mother. The Harris dropped the shores. Ready now. Father, wait. Mother has fainted. Doctor Murdoch! Doctor Murdoch! You feeling better? Much better, darling. Still a little weak, but we launched her, didn't we? Indeed we did, darling. The Great Republic pride of the nation. She's at the docks now being loaded with grain. Darling, lying here, I've been thinking of the times we've had together. A father and our honeymoon at the beach. I'll never forget the look on your father's face when our courier came in from Rio ahead of his majesty. Yes. Oh, it's been such a good life, Donald. You've accomplished so very much. We've done the accomplishing together, darling. On our dreams. And now they've all come true. Mr. McKay! Mr. McKay! In that day. The docks are burning, sir. The Great Republic is on fire. Great Republic, no. Be right with you, Sam. Yes, you're right this way. I'm afraid so she's come back. It's not a pity. The Great Republic. I'm going to climb up and cut away that rigging. No, come back, Cornelius. It's too late. All right, men. Open the sea cocks. We'll scuddle her. I've heard you're pacing up and down all night. I was worried. Just leave me alone, son. But, Father, you... Donald, Donald is... Mother's calling, Dan. Does she know? Yes. She gets the truth. We couldn't keep it from her. Donald! Coming, dear. Dream is ended. The Great Republic is no more. I know, darling. But you must go on. You must go on building. I did build up in you. Now it's gone. Everything is gone. Everything but the name and the reputation of Donald McKay. Look, darling, the whole nation mourns our loss. Even a message from the president. A lifetime of planning and months of building. Gone, gone up in smoke in one night. I'm through, Elbeño. No, not through. Our clippers are carrying the American flag to the far-flung ports of the world. You built those ships, Donald. We built them, Elbeño. Out of dreams and stars and clouds. Remember, Mr. Longfellow? That wonderful poem of his. Build me straight, O worthy master. Staunch and strong. A goodly vessel. That shall laugh at all disaster. Laugh at all disaster? Yes, I remember. Laugh at all disaster. Cornelius? Bring me some drafting paper in my pen and ink stand. Yes, Elbeño. We shall build more clipper ships. For the glory of the nation. Joseph Cotton will return to our cavalcade microphone in a moment. Oh, here is Gaines Whitman. All of us heard and read a lot about synthetic rubber during the war, and still a good many people don't really know what it is. Just what is this rubber that doesn't come from any rubber tree? The word synthetic does not mean a substitute. It simply means put together. Ordinary table salt can be synthesized or put together from sodium and chlorine. Water can be put together from hydrogen and oxygen. Rubber is a whole lot more complicated than salt or water. But the chemist knows how its molecule is constructed, and so he can put together, actually build a rubber-like molecule. DuPont chemists and physicists and all the other DuPont technicians who make these new things for you, didn't start out by saying, we're going to find a rubber substitute. They set out to make a material that was superior to natural rubber. DuPont's neoprene, the first general-purpose synthetic rubber made commercially in the United States, is put together from chemicals derived from coal, limestone and salt, built into molecules with long chemical names like monovinyl acetylene. Neoprene, too, has come back from the war, and from now on this chemical rubber will be used in many civilian items. Not only for jobs that are too tough for natural rubber, but for many things that once called for the natural product, because it will make better rubber products. One example of a better-than-pre-walled product is inner tubes for automobile tires, which are now being made commercially from neoprene. Pre-walled tubes were perfectly satisfactory, so far as long life was concerned. But most of us are forgetful. We don't always remember to keep the right amount of air in our tires at all times, and under-inflated tubes shorten tire life. Neoprene tubes hold air much better than natural rubber tubes. With neoprene tubes, you'll get more mileage out of your tires, even if you forget to stop at the gas station for air. The war proved beyond doubt that DuPont neoprene is better than natural rubber for many purposes. As a result, there will soon be hundreds of products containing neoprene, products like floorings, sink strainers, stove pads, refrigerator door seals, upholstery materials, and household gloves in gay bright colors that will give longer service in contact with kitchen fats and greases. Dry cleaning fluids, floor waxes, and other substances. Neoprene rubber is one of the DuPont company's most promising better things for better living through chemistry. And now, here is Joseph Cotton. It's a pleasure to appear tonight on the DuPont Cavalcade of America, especially opposite Claire Trevor. Next Monday night, Cavalcade brings you an adventure story of a union secret service agent doing the Civil War. You'll want to listen to this thrilling exploit about the theft of an entire train in the attempt to wreck a railroad. Your star will be Franchotone. I'm sure you'll enjoy venture in a silk hat with Franchotone on the DuPont Cavalcade of America. Joseph Cotton appeared through the courtesy of David O. Selznick and will soon be seen as one of the stars of the Technicolor production, Duel in the Sun. Claire Trevor is soon to be seen co-starring in the RKO Radio production, Crack-Up. The music for tonight's DuPont Cavalcade was composed and conducted by Robert Armbruster. Our Cavalcade play was written by Phyllis Parker. This is Tom Collins inviting you to listen next week to Franchotone in Venture in a Silk Hat on the Cavalcade of America, brought to you by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.