 The DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware, makers of better things for better living through chemistry, presents the Cavalcade of America. Tonight's star, Robert Cummings. Tonight's play, the story of Finn Magnus, a 20th century pied piper, The Melodyman. Dear mother, I have just read your letter. Mama, please do not worry. This is 1933, and there are no savage Indians in New Jersey. It's not even Tamewan. Yes, yes, I have been to New York City, and it is very big, too big to find cousin Olaf, unless, of course, he has a last name. You asked me about New Jersey. Well, New Jersey is a state, sort of like the corner of Denmark between cousin Johann's Farm and cousin Sven's House in Copenhagen. It is famous for industry, and oh yes, for girls, for girls, the prettiest girl is named Miss Jones. In fact, I am sitting in her office right now, and I think she's looking at me. Have you finished your letter, Mr. Magnus? Oh, yes, Miss Jones. Well, I don't like to rush you, but it's five o'clock and the office is closing. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to leave. Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize it was so late. Well, it's none of my business, but you came here on Monday to see Mr. Jamison, and I told you he wouldn't be back in town till Friday. Don't you believe me? Oh yes, I believe you all right. I'll be back tomorrow. But tomorrow's Thursday. Yes, that's right. Look, you've been here every day this week. At nine o'clock, you walk in, tip your hat, then sit in that chair, it'll five, and you tip your hat again, you say goodnight, Miss Jones, and then, Mr. Magnus, what are you doing, you're not sitting in that chair. Miss Jones, do you like music? Music? Well, it's... I have two tickets to Carnegie Hall for tonight, and I was thinking we could have dinner in New York and then go to the concert, and you do like to go to concerts, don't you? Well, all right. Then you'll go? Mr. Magnus, did anybody ever say no to you? We can catch the 525 train. I bought the tickets this morning, you see. Yes, I have a reservation in a restaurant. Wait a minute, wait a minute. You were quite sure that I'd say yes, weren't you? Well, I was hoping. All right. It'll take me a few minutes. Oh, Miss Jones. Yes? Miss Jones, please, excuse me, but what is your name, Miss Jones? Music Now, let's start at the beginning, Mr. Magnus. As I understand it, you want some rubber sheeting for a table tennis paddle that you've invented. Well, Mr. J... Rubber sheeting? Well, I'm sure that my secretary understood you. Oh, yes, but most important, I would like a job. Job? Well, she didn't mention anything about a job. She wrote down the... On the way home last night, I got the idea. I'm sure that my background is all right. Well, we are thinking of hiring a few machinists, two or three, but... Yeah, I worked at the stevedor, my first job when I came from Denmark, and then a stock clerk in a steel factory. Did you ever work in a steel factory? Well, no, but... I worked in an automobile factory, too. I made cash registers. You see, I'm very, very interested in mass production. Yes, yes, I'm sure you are, but this is a small business. We only have 37 employees. More than... There's a future with a small business. A man can grow with a small business. And I'm a little ashamed to offer you this job. It's on a machine and only pays 35 cents an hour. I'll take it. Well, all right. You can start Monday morning. Thank you. You don't give a man a chance to think. Very well, Monday morning it is. If it's all the same to you, sir, I'd like to start right now. But it's four o'clock. We shut down an hour for the weekend. Yes, I know, but since I have to stay until five anyway, I thought I might as well start working now. You have to stay? Well, yes, you see, Ms. Jones and I are going to the opera tonight. It's Pagliacci. Oh, well, good luck. Yes, thank you, sir. Well, good afternoon, Mr. Jones. Good-bye. The opera? Hmm, funny. But I'd have sworn our Ms. Jones was tuned there. Dear mother, everything I've been writing is true. After one year, I was called foreman, and they gave me a plain wooden desk. By the third year, I wore a tie every day, and I was called superintendent, and the desk was oak. And now, five years later, I am general manager, and my desk is mahogany. And also, please, mama, do not refer to Elsie as that American girl. We have been married for two years, and everyone but you is convinced that she is good enough for me. Please, mama, your son's thin. Where's thin, Elsie? He's in his office, Mr. Janssen. I tried to get him on the phone. Doesn't he ever answer the thing? Stand here a moment, and you'll see why. It's terrible. Well, at home, I'm the chairman of the board, and I won't let him play it. But here, I'm only his secretary. You're the chairman of the board. He's all yours. Well, this is better than the bagpipes. Not much, but better. Finn, Finn. Oh, hi, Charlie. I'm getting pretty good with this thing, you know. Listen, stop, stop, please, Finn, for the sake of my nerves. I just came to remind you and Elsie that we're expecting you over for Christmas Eggnog tomorrow. Oh, thank you. We'll be there, Charlie. Is it safe to come in? He's all yours, Elsie, but please, please don't let him bring that thing into my house. I have a five-year-old child, and he could be scarred for life. Your son and I understand each other, Charlie. Oh, I must have a talk with that young man. Well, I've got some shopping to do. So have we. Come on, Finn. She always leaves everything to the last minute. I finished my Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving, with a little thought to do. I know, I know the proper present for the proper present. Elsie, you are married to a machine. I'll see you tomorrow. On the way home, we'll stop at Alan's department so I saw something there for Ruth. Elsie, am I really a machine? No, Finn. You're very, very human. Oh, that's good. Because I think of myself as a very practical man, a man who really gets things done, you know? Well, then, I won't remind you that this is the end of December and the screens are still up. You want to fight this mob with me? No, thanks, darling. Well, then, where will I find you? I'll be at the music counter. I just thought of something else that I'd like to buy for Charlie's boy. Just don't start roaming around. What can I do for you, sir? How do you do? I'd like to look at a harmonica. What? I said I'd like to look at a harmonica. Sir, I'm sure you know there's a war on. Well, yes, I know that, but we're not fighting it over harmonicas. Well, oh, oh, are we? I'm sorry, sir. It's just that my nerves are a little uned. Women yelling at me, my feet are killing me. My wife is going to scream bloody murder because I'm working overtime and the... You understand. Oh, sure, I know all about that. I understand. You see, most harmonicas come from Germany and Japan. Oh, few from Switzerland, but nearly all from Germany. Excuse me, you mean we don't manufacture any harmonicas here in America? Oh, a few, but our labor costs are so high that we just can't compete with the Germans. Got a beautiful last trade, dear. It was the last one, and somehow he tried to grab it from me. You coming? Elsie, Elsie, do you know something? I can't buy a harmonica here. Well, darling, what in the world do you want with a harmonica? Well, I just want one. As I was explaining to the gentleman, we import our harmonicas from Germany, but with the war. We can't compete with the Germans, eh? Come along, Elsie. Oh, thank you. I'm sure we'll find one in another store. But madam, nobody listens to me. Nobody. Customers, my wife, my wife. I wonder if 46 is too old to join the Navy. It was nice of you to come over, Charlie. Is he down, Miss Heller? Every waking moment for the past five months. He doesn't look too good. If only you weren't so stubborn. He set his mind and nothing's going to move him. He respects you, Charlie. And I thought. I'll see what I can do. It's me, Finn, Charlie. Welcome to my workshop, Charlie. It's a good thing you told me. It looks more like a junkyard. Not a very funny joke, huh? I'm sorry, Charlie. My sense of humor seems to be slipping. Sit down, won't you? Thanks. I suppose you know what you're doing. Well, I know what I'm trying to do. Christmas afternoon, you said you'd found a new hobby. You were going to spend, what was it, $200? Yes, so far I've spent over 2,000. I'm still stuck, Charlie. Why? Why am I doing this, you mean? Yes. Because it's important. Oh, I know at first it was just something to do, but now it's more than that. A good harmonica, imported, costs over $5. And I think I can make them a lot cheaper. An expensive harmonica is a difficult instrument to play. And I want to make one that anyone, including a child, can play. And also I want to prove something. The infinitive practical. You're a practical man. Look what you've done for us. When you joined us, we had 37 employees. Now we have 3,700. We're a power in the button industry, thanks to your being practical. Your practical improvements, inventions, and efficiency methods. Now what's happened to you? Charlie, I can build this harmonica. I know I can. Once I hit on the proper ingredient. Yes, yes, but is it important? Really important. Charlie, any time you bring music to children, that's important. It cannot be done, Finn. Believe me, it cannot be done. Oh, Elsie, why does everyone keep saying that to me? I know it can be done. Finn, Hans is your friend. He wouldn't say anything to this way, dude, if he thought there was a challenge. You are a hard one to convince. Hans, I worked in Dayton. I built cash registers in half an hour. In Detroit, I saw them build an automobile in an hour. Now imagine that, Hans, a whole automobile in an hour. And you try to tell me that I can't build a harmonica in second. A harmonica is not an automobile. Finn, I work for Hona as a child. Look at that harmonica. It has 80 separate pieces. It takes 150 separate hand operations to put it together and make it play. And I say I can build one in five pieces and assemble it in 15 seconds. He won't listen, Elsie. Finn, it isn't the money or even the time, but you're wearing yourself out. In the past 10 months, you haven't slept more than four hours a night. Buttons all day and this all night. Hans, look please, I didn't ask you over tonight to argue. I called you over to tell you that I am almost ready to build a harmonica. Well, I will have to see it done. I have tried all types of materials and for the last few months, I have been working with plastics. Well, I've hit the formula. What do you think, Elsie? Well, I'm worried about my husband, Hans. Not a harmonica. Well, by this time next week, your worries will be over. I hope you're right, Finn. But the harmonica is a delicate instrument. It must be put together with tenderness and care. Believe me, Finn, you might be able to make a dozen automobiles in an hour, but all they have to do is ride over bumps, not play a concerto. So this is the night of the grand experiment, eh, Finn? I have gathered all my critics and disbelievers. Right, Elsie? Charlie, if my husband says he's going to assemble that harmonica tonight, he'll do it. Mr. Chamerson, when I was a child in Germany, I worked for Hona. And some day, Hans, you will be telling your grandchildren how you work for Magnus. I enough of this monkey business. How long will it take, Finn? Well, I'm all set up. Then what are we waiting for? Oh, dear, I'm so nervous. Now, Elsie, there's nothing to worry about. I put in 15 months of hard work, and if I wasn't sure that I could do it. I am not sure. You're not sure. You're not sure of anything. I am sure that the harmonica is not an automobile. Mass production. Hans, I'll prove it my point right now. This machine will turn out five separate plastic pieces, which I will assemble by hand in 15 seconds. I'm waiting. All right. Then we're all set. Now, Elsie, please stop shaking. I can't. Oh, here it goes. Is it all right? Is it all right? Oh, Finn, oh, darling. I'm sorry, my friend. I just don't understand it. 15 months, it must, it should have worked. Maybe the press applied too much pressure. Look, it looks like a little toy that some child broke in anger. An imperfection in the plastic. No, no, it is not. Well, it is possible. But the plastic. No, no, Hans, it's an imperfection in the man. Darling, you can't blame yourself. Look, it's like a little broken toy. Please, Finn, you're tired. There's so much, so much disappointment in a broken toy. You are listening to the Dupont Cavalcade of America starring Robert Cummings and our Bill Hamilton speaking for the Dupont Company. To build the plants where Dupont's better things for better living are produced, Dupont engineers use all kinds of construction materials, stainless steels, copper alloys, lead, rubber and plastics to name just a few. The requirements of the chemical industry are so exacting that all these materials must meet certain standards of quality. These standards have been set by the American Society for Testing Materials, one of the important technical associations in which Dupont men are active members. Membership in societies such as these does much to broaden the knowledge of the engineers, scientists and other technical people who bring you the Dupont Company's better things for better living through chemistry. Tonight on Cavalcade of America, Robert Cummings is starring as Finn Magnus in The Melody Man. Finn Magnus was determined to see his dream come true. Month after month, dragged by. Four hours of sleep became a luxury and a sandwich, a banquet. For the hobby became an obsession in the plastic harmonica of future. But future was to become an ever-ending series of disappointments. Mind, Mr. Magnus, it is only the opinion of a music professor the sound of the harmonica depends on the tolerance in the reed, a tolerance of a 10,000th of an inch. Plastic cannot be molded at that time. Do I make myself clear? Yes, yes, too clear. Finn, you've been panking with us for 14 years. I saw your account grow. I saw you grow in the community. Now there's a mortgage on your house You've gone through 11,000 in cash. You have two bank loans for 5,000. I need a little more time, just a little more time. Maybe if I explain it this way, I spent four years at Ohio State, took three years of medicine at Johns Hopkins and graduated with honors, interned at Michael Reese in Chicago, practiced for 27 years. And Finn, that gives me the right to tell you that you are a sick man. Oh, but I feel fine. You look terrible. I appreciate your taking this walk with me, Hans. Well, it is better than sitting in your cellar. I spend more time in your cellar than in my living room. Yes, yes, I didn't want Elsie to overhear us. I am not dumb, Finn. Elsie, Hans is a little sick. He needs a walk. Elsie is not dumb either, Finn. No, she worries about me. Well, she's a wife. Hans, the last batch of plastics was a complete failure. Finn, Finn, I have been in that cellar in the dead of night, how many times? Four, five, ten? And always when we work the machine, the same crunch. It is a horrible sound. How much longer, Finn? Well, that is why we are taking this walk. I cannot say I'm sorry. It is only because I am a friend that I can tell you what is in my heart. Hans, have I been selfish, you think? A little blind. Finn, there is no disgrace in admitting that you are wrong. Well, it is not easy to see everything collapse. I am left with an empty feeling. I feel like an aimless wanderer. The man does not live by himself, Finn. He is not an islander. Yes, I know. I know. That is why I've decided for Elsie's sake and Charlie's and for myself too. Tomorrow it's back to the factory. Enough of this fooling around with a new industry. I'm a big success in the button industry. And respect it, Finn. Respect it. How much does one man supposed to do in a lifetime? Enough is enough. Yes, tomorrow I will get back to the factory early. And when I... Hans, listen. I was listening. You were talking. See how well he plays. Well, he can't be more than eight or nine years old. Shine, mister? No, thank you. No shine. You can use shine. Only ten cents. Say, Sunny, you're very good with that harmonica. Where did you get it? For my brother, he gave it to me. Of course, more than five bucks, I bet. You can use a shine bad. Do you see anything, Hans? I see only a dirty-faced boy with a harmonica. I've got the only one on the block. The only one on the block? Finn, he should be in bed. I should be in bed. And you don't feel sorry? Look, I feel tired. And I feel sorry? Sorry for all the other kids on his block. Good evening, Mike. Oh, you, Mr. Magnus. I didn't recognize you in the dark. I was just enjoying the air. I thought I saw you last night. That was you, wasn't it? I've been having a little trouble sleeping here. That's one trouble I don't have. Mine is my feet. Yes, you've been on this beat for a long time, haven't you, Mike? 18 years. That's a lot of walking. Yes. No, uh, no promotion. Plenty of chances. Only it's a funny thing. I had to do a lot of walking to find out what I wanted. And what I wanted was what I was doing. Does that make sense? Yes. Yes, that makes very good sense. Come on, I'll walk you past your house. Oh, thank you. You know, the people around here know me. They like me. Me? I like what I'm doing. Well, there aren't many men that can say that. Now, take my brother-in-law. Oh, is he a policeman? No, no. He's a businessman and respected and successful and unhappy. Successful yet unhappy? Yes, Mr. Magnus. All his life, he wanted to be a baseball player. Was a great shortstop too. But he listened to lots of well-meaning people. Went into business, became successful and unhappy. There's no running away, is there, Mike? No, no. Not from yourself. Oh, say, isn't that your Mrs. on the porch? Oh, yes. Elsie. Well, good night, Mr. Magnus. Oh, yes, good night, Mike. Elsie, what are you doing? Elsie, do you feel all right? I couldn't sleep. But why? Because you couldn't sleep. Well, you'll catch coldsing out here in your bathroom. Mm-mm. Where'd you go, Finn? Last night and the night before. Oh, I was talking to the policeman. Every night this week? No, just tonight. He was telling me about his brother-in-law. Finn, oh, Finn, Finn, what am I going to do with you? He wanted to be a baseball player. We should be in bed, dear. Come on, let's go in. I can understand a man like that. Well, I'm sure I couldn't. I can even understand why he was running away. You're tired, dear. You need a good night. Bedroom's upstairs. You're heading towards the cellar. Oh, yes, I know, Elsie. Because I'm tired of running away. Again, I'm in the cellar. I thought he gave up this foolishness. Well, he wants to try just once more. In Finn, there's too much stubbornness. Yes, he's going to snap. I've seen him at the office. He's tight as a spring. I know it. We should have seen him at night. He can't sleep. Paces back and forth, back and forth. Elsie, I don't want to pile more worries on your head, but I'm at Doc Brown on the golf course. No. He said that it's more than a physical thing, that Finn has been driving too hard. I found the wrench. We were all set to go now. Oh, Hans, did you look over the blueprints? On paper, Finn. On paper, it looks right. Yes. But only my son can make music with paper, and he uses a call. He calls it music. I call it noise. You think it'll work this time, Finn? It has to work. I am going to let you hold the stopwatch, Hans, and as soon as the machine stops, just push this little button. I know how to run a watch, even if I never built an automobile. Now, the secret of mass production is in the time. According to my figures, I must assemble a harmonica in 15 seconds. Anything I can do? Just hold Elsie's hand there. She's shaking so hard she's able to break. No. You hold my hand, Elsie. We'll shake together. Now, believe me, there is nothing to worry about. All right. All set, Hans? All set. Here we go. It didn't break. It didn't break. Great. Wonderful. You're in the home stretch. Now, come on, Finn. All right. Now, start timing. I'm going to assemble it. Fun. Two. Not a crack in any of the pieces. The reeds are all connected to this brace, you see. Five. Five operations in 15 seconds. Careful, Hans. Careful. Insert here. Bend this in place, and it's finished. Oh, darling. With seconds to spare, congratulations, Finn, a plastic harmonica. Wonderful. Why must I always be the pessimist? What do you mean? Forgive me. I can see the plastic, and it is very pretty, but a harmonica is not to see. It is to listen. What? No, no, no. Hans is right. Hans is right. It must play music. Into? Not like paper on a comb. A harmonica must be like a bird. Go on, play it. See what comes out. Play it for him, Finn. My lips are a little dry. You play it, Hans. No. I will listen. Elsie, how about you? You play it, Finn. I'm sure it'll work. Yes, it'll work. All right. Now, here goes. Dear mother, I am writing you this letter on the fifth anniversary of the Magnus Harmonica factory. I know that you are happy that everything is going so well, but please do not worry that I am driving myself too hard. Mama, America is not all rush, rush, hurry, hurry. For besides automobiles and radios and harmonicas, they also mass produce happiness. Your son, Finn. The drive and the dream that has been Magnus has become a reality. For he has turned plastic into concertinas and clarinets and bagpipes. And though it sounds unbelievable, Magnus, the melody man, makes almost half the harmonicas in the world. All thanks to Robert coming to the Cavalcade Players for tonight's story, The Melody Man. And now Bill Hamilton speaking for the DuPont Company. You know what the refrigerator in your kitchen does. Cooled by DuPont Freon, fluorinated hydrocarbon safe refrigerant, which is used in nearly all recent home models, it lowers the temperature enough to keep food safe and fresh. Manufacturers in many fields find that refrigeration is as helpful to them as it is to you. For instance, a bakery must cool bread before wrapping it. The process once took several hours. Now, cooling time is cut to 80 minutes by placing the loaves in special rooms cooled by DuPont Freon. Cooling can help an automobile manufacturer, too, just as it can a baker. For instance, in assembling motor parts. If some of them are warm and others cool, they don't fit. One automobile manufacturer solved this problem by having a special room 200 feet long in his engine assembly plant. The air is filtered and cooled, and all parts remain at the same temperature, and they fit. A manufacturer of delicate communications equipment cuts down rejects by cooling his plant to keep his employees' hands from perspiring. In the metalworking industry, refrigerated oils help machine tools cut faster and stay sharp longer. Simple problems solved by getting the temperature down a few degrees or controlling the humidity. But they are simple only because chemical science makes available the useful chemical compounds known as refrigerants. The DuPont Freon refrigerants that cool the food in your kitchen refrigerator that help to solve production problems for bakeries, automobile manufacturers, the communications, metalworking, and many other industries are some of DuPont's better things for better living through chemistry. Tonight's DuPont Cavalcade was written by David Harmon. Original music was composed by Arden Cornwell conducted by Donald Boris. The program was directed by John Zoller. With our star, Robert Cummings, you heard Judith Parish as Elsie. Ed Begley was Jameson, and Dan Ackow was Hans. And this is Si Harris, reminding you to be with us next week when the DuPont Cavalcade will present starring McDonald's Kerry. The DuPont Cavalcade of America comes to you from the Belasco Theater in New York City and is sponsored by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Makers of better things for better living through chemistry. Tonight played Truth or Consequences on NBC.