 Brecca sponsored by the DuPont company maker of better things for better living through chemistry Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This is the cavalcade of America sponsored by the DuPont company Tonight with Elliott Neuchat as our star Cavalcade presents a new radio play written especially for us by cave and reifer It is called the war comes to dr. Morgan Its story is pertinent to our times and to all of us a story of a midwestern position faced with a problem of deciding Where lies his first duty in his home community or on the field of battle? Starring Elliott Neuchat in the war comes to dr. Morgan on the cavalcade of America sponsored by DuPont Our story tonight begins in the shambles of what was once the native hut in the Solomon's Under the crossfire of a Jap gun hidden in the jungle and a Jap destroyer looking near the shore Two marines and a doctor caught in the trap wait to see how they're locked Hey, you there Corporal don't monkey with that tourniquet. Oh no, sir Guess I got you to thank for my arm. I made I Made with this holt for my colors a couple lucky guys. You're here doc. Oh stop it just a Golden nuts waiting for them Japs to get close enough to pick us off buying talk from you That's been dodging New York taxis for your 21 years Where'd you come from doc small town Drafted nope volunteered I Went through a war to get here. Yeah, how come all started on a fall day when I took my girl on a picnic a picnic Get him sure. I like picnics All it was September kind of a gray day the Middle West gets with smoke in the air We left our offices early. You see he's a reporter on our county paper for dad's the editor We were sitting at a wooden table in the picnic ground by the lake. I remember Annie turned to me and said Gosh finally so beautiful isn't it? That what you're thinking hmm. Oh I had a letter from doc Andrews today Somewhere in the Pacific Oh, you did he says they need doctors badly lives to be saved right there on the spot Yes, but but you told me I mean Dad ran it in the paper the medical board said you were needed here They won't let you go they will if I'm willing to be replaced or if I find someone to take over my practice But darling if this is your place if this is what you're supposed to do listen Annie I need your help Grandpa Morgan was the first doctor in this town dad was the second Even when he gave me those years abroad to study. I still want to come back here and live in practice When dad died last year, I knew he died contented because I was taking his place watching over the people We both love how can you love us if you want to go? But you see you're my steak Annie you and pineville, that's why I've got to go Why darling? I thought you'd be the first one to to patch you on the back. I Can't do it. I won't Annie. Are you crying? No, I'm not but I'm afraid Yes, that's the truth. I'm afraid you'll never come back. I don't get it Well, you've been the bravest woman I've ever known about everything else, please Don't hurt me Jim, but but you've got to tell me why But I've I felt secure with you. I've dared to trust the future with you But now you're going away of your own free will Jim I can't face the chance of I Can't bear it but Annie darling. That's a personal selfish fear. It isn't like you. I can't help it Annie you shouldn't force me to make a decision like this I can't help it Jim. That's the way I feel Suppose I were to say Even though my heart breaks for you darling. I haven't any choice Then I'd rather finish it now call me a coward call me anything you like I When Jimmy Jimmy, don't go darling. I've got to You won't change your mind. Don't you see I can't Hi, hello, Anne Hello, Ella. How's the sewing coming? Oh, just go into Miss Judson's to finish your black satin My you look a little pale-ish. I Think dr. Morgan is going to volunteer for army service. Don't say you're gonna be married before he goes. No Duty comes first But don't tell anyone will you who me why and you know, I never talk Of course, I suppose if his patients protest enough Well, I'll be seeing you Ella dr. Morgan's office Well, he's in consultation right now miss Haynes I'll have him call when he can You're welcome. Goodbye You're a great liar Emily, but what am I going to do everybody in Pineville County's been on that phone They're giving you the business doctor. That's what I wouldn't wonder if somebody even went to the medical board Oh, they've tried that already didn't work. The board said it was up to you. Oh Doctor, forgive me for coming in. Oh, why Mr. Judson really? I'm in such a state. Oh My heart. Oh sit right down here, Mrs. Judson. I just didn't hear the bell, but I'm sure you rang it I'll be at my desk. Oh, I've had a pain round my heart so bad Scarcely any sleep last night. Mr. Judson didn't see how I was actually going to pull through He even wanted to give me some of his fat and medicine, but I stuck to your prescription all his medicines harmless Mr. Judson's made quite a fortune from it Doctor, what is this we hear about you're going into the army? Why here we've built our lovely new home settles down here because we knew we had good medical care Oh, I'm going to find a successor. You like much better than me. No doctor Morgan. No really no I'm speaking for mr. Judson. We must ask you to reconsider now I won't pressure for an answer now, but we'll talk to you later. Oh, don't forget. I'm going to catch you for dinner one night Next week. Bye doctor. Goodbye. Bye Emily. Goodbye Mr. Grant's waiting. Oh Ask him to come in. Mr. Grant come in please Hello, Henry. Hi doc sit down. What have you been up to? Oh, what's that bandage mean doing the last of the thrashing yesterday? Caught my hand and the dang thing. Mm-hmm. So I see why didn't you call me when it happened? It couldn't run in a shorthand darn you anyway for not calling me last night. Look at that hand You know Jim when you first come back from Europe. We didn't know if he was going to be our doc or not First time you come out. You start to help me clean out the barn. Remember? Yeah Steady now this this might hurt a little hurt away And then right then use a Morgan all right Don't think we could use a doc around here didn't have a little farm smell around him Pineville's touch you that way What are you trying to tell me Henry that we need you here? The board says you can stay and we aren't going to welcome no stranger Have I ever told you how to run your farm? No Hmm, it's that she too just like your paw, but we mean it Hi there Amos Well, come in doc come in come in have a chair Just put the paper to bed Aren't you're a homely daughter? Dispositions like chain lightning strikes anywhere everywhere without warning. Hmm. I Suppose you know that some people in town don't speak to me anymore and the ones who never liked me anyway Say they knew I didn't have the town's interests at heart. Yeah, they always took that old chestnut up Where do you stand in this? me Are you Anne's dear papa, or are you the editor of the Pineville Journal? Yeah, I know I haven't commented on this editorially dodging home issues After all Jim she is my daughter. What about me? I'm losing my woman my wife What do you suppose I've gone through trying to do what I think's right? Yeah, I know that Amos it doesn't make sense millions of women are sending their men to the front with smiles What's the basis of this fear? Well, I've got a guess When she was away at school kid of 18 She came home for summer vacation a different person almost a state of shock. I couldn't say a word Never drove mean or mother crazy, but you know how stubborn she is. She's never to this day told me about it You think you might try it? She won't even see me. She won't even talk to me over the phone She would if you said that you change your mind can't do it. I'm going in and that's why I want your help Well, just what would you want me to do? I want the Pineville Journal to go all out on a campaign of civilian health like Person letters for me if necessary on diet exercise proper rest Hmm, we need a big drive to recruit every grown-up for first aid courses So everybody can take care of minor accidents and injuries Prevention Amos if we can educate our people to take the best of care of themselves I won't feel so worried about leaving them Cigarette no, thanks not now now then there's there's the business of my successor picked anybody yep Henry Grant suggested him though. He didn't know it was a man. I first met abroad doctor Hugo Altman of Paris Refugee doctor. Whoa, Jim. Oh aim is for Pete's sake. I'm so sick of that word refugee. What else were the Mayflower passengers? Let's call him an emigrate doctor if you like. Well, I think I'm as broad-minded as any man But sure but now listen there's room here for all of us. That's the idea America's built on You're going to run into a lot of prejudice son. Oh, what's prejudice fear? What does a child do things that are new and strange? He thinks have a kind of mysterious power So he's afraid of being pushed out by the newcomer It's a throwback to childhood of people would only realize it true. I love fear Amos I I love what it does to good decent people your dad felt that way too. You're done, right? He did then a bunch of good farmers gets us scared that they tried to tar and feather grandpa Morgan When he started vaccinating. Oh, don't get me started about fear. I've I've looked into too many sick hearts as well as sick bodies I've seen how it cripples and twists And you think I'm not tasting the gall of supreme irony Amos fear is standing between me and the only woman I've ever loved or ever well on Well, I aim us you've got to help me fight the good fight Dr. Altman's the man for our people makes you think so He's a most like my dad of any man I ever met his father was a farmer in southern Austria He knows all about people who live in counties like ours. Oh, is it? Well, he's about 60 He's just passed our state board. Now's the time to grab him Oh, come on Amos take that fat lead pencil yours and and write one of those Editorials that have been leading us for 30 years. I guess you're right These days a man has to be a citizen first and a father second Otherwise he's apt to find himself without his country or his family Let me warm your coffee. Dr. Altman that local train from the city is murder. Oh, my friend It is luxury compared to some trains. Thank you Doctor, I'd like to inquire after Mrs. Altman Dead might be young friend dead You know we went from Vienna to Paris so when the Germans invaded Paris too, she set up a canteen for the people She was machine gun. Oh Forgive me, of course. What about Professor Duran? Shot himself and the guest up or man But no there is no use to talk of things that happen in a little corner of your mind You would say impossible propaganda, of course It cannot be otherwise in this great beautiful country untouched by problems. I pray and always stays that way. I mean Doctor before you present me to your patients. We must discuss our contract Contra I understand that everything is done here by contract So there is one clause I insist upon well It must be clearly understood here and now that when you return I go that is my last and final word I'm a moveable Well, all right We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, but thanks Thanks very much Your town does not want you to leave. Hmm. What makes you say that the young lady at the train the one who came to interview me She seems so to dislike my coming here. She's my fiancee correction she my Former fiance I'm sorry. Oh I'll tell you the truth She doesn't want me in the war Paralyzed by fear she won't talk to me about it, but but frankly doctor I think it's a kind of phobia and my hands are tied Couldn't even stop her making trouble in town trying to keep me home Can you weather trouble doctor? I can always try good then let's start now I'd like you to meet your new patients as soon as possible You are listening to the war comes to dr. Morgan starring Elliot Nugent on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by Dupont Young dr. Morgan played by Elliot Nugent is torn between what he feels is his duty to his country and his fiancee is unreasoning fears for his safety As our play continues He is taking his successor to call on his patients already aroused against the newcomer. I'm all for sorry dr. Morgan But mrs. Yotson. She isn't on this afternoon She isn't here. I saw her myself as we draw. Oh, I see I see hello. All right. Thank you Come dr. Altman assuredly. Sorry doctor No, no, no my friend. I know what I am talking about for 59 years. I have known this big Intimately, I was born on a farm the Berkshire Huggies a superior animal that the Berkshire eat his head off and what you get I would say I hate to break up this debate with Henry if dr. Altman is going to look at your hand We'll have to go up to the house right now. We're due back in town for a first aid lecture Well, I'll tell you doc. It's been a pleasure to meet you and I know we're going to get along fine Truth is my wife She well, there's some kind of a female ruckus going on around town And I'll tell you let me come in see you next week. It's the office Monday. Yeah Monday or Tuesday Do you mind if we sit in here in the sun room dr. Altman, who not at all miss Barlow is very pleasant Yes, my mother did her sewing and embroidery here. We kept the chinses and her flowering plants. I Suppose dr. Morgan sent you indeed. He did not dr. Morgan is in the city. He is his orders came unexpectedly He is in the city attending to his final papers final papers He returns you tomorrow and instead of leaving in four weeks as you thought he leaves tomorrow night But I can't believe it. I never thought he you never thought you would actually go. No, I guess I didn't I've hoped all along we could force him to stay You even done sir. I know Where is he in the city? I'm going to telephone him. I've got to see great miss Barlow. Do you think he wants to see you? Or what do you mean but here is a young man who knows the terrible life and death battle going on all over the world Deliberately turning his back on his private life his own interests and going away into a very real danger Don't say that why must you say that and here you are his enemy The one who's fought to keep him here by any means he loves you, but he hates what you've done I've been afraid he's told me something about you That is why I am here Perhaps the used words But no one could tell but no I know what it is to feel fear. No not mine. You don't You think I don't see how I must appear to you to the rest As though I were blind to what's going on today as though my personal grief outweighed the world. Oh Don't you see it isn't that it's that that I'm helpless I'm not free to be what Jim wants, but that fear. I do know When I was a young intern one of my first patients in the hospital was a young girl like a flower. I Fell in love with her and day by day. I watched her die Did you Then you do know And did it did it paralyze you yeah for months Did you cry? No, I couldn't know nor I I just sat and Stared at nothing when when and I was not quite 18 I'd fallen in love young love Was so wild disastrous too because Because one day one day what? tell me Was the girl you loved laughing and gay That is what hurt so oh, yes, I know That's what you see I couldn't believe that anyone so alive could be dead He was going to meet me and that very afternoon. We were going to get our license Was all very young and crazy romantic We had lunch in a funny little hamburger joint And then we stopped and he bought me a white rose. I Can't bear them. They make me sick And he kissed me goodbye He was going home to pack and I was He stepped off the curb and started out into the street And and then he turned to smile at me, but the car I saw the car and I I tried to scream I swear I tried to scream Why didn't I scream and save him I Dr. Allman, yeah, are you sure guess wanted to see me now after all I've got just a couple of hours before training please doctor He said he'd been janitor at the high school when you attended we have to go through the gymnasium just to be small No, all right Matter of fact, I'm kind of glad to say goodbye to somebody naturally I've walked his path so many times so well all the town meetings are held here Last one they even made me speak. All right, such a lot of back slappings Well times change, but the men of principle do not as you have proved You open the door After you might be a friend Didn't think that we'd let you leave without giving us a speech. Did you come on look here? We did this Quiet everybody First this is Harwell Glabber Judson as President of the Pineville women's Association. I wish to welcome dr. Altman to our fair little city and To wish our dear dr. Morgan. Good luck and God I present the chairman of the reception committee. Thank you dad and From the bottom of my heart. I thank Mrs. Judson and Mrs. Grant whom I appealed to last night and who rose so valiantly to the occasion and I thank all the ladies who helped trim the gymnasium and furnish the supper on such short notice Dr. Morgan's wedding will take place immediately after the speeches. You're all invited Any any darling The future's ours. I'll tell you what happened around this room. Well, and now Now now if my daughter will kind of release that poor trapped young man from her We we'd like to hear what he has to say Thanks Amos if I I can catch my breath I when you know You know as I look at all of you so So many pictures flash through my mind Like the apple trees blooming in our orchard and those babies of yours that dad helped bring into the world and the ones I did the new fire engine and the sacrifices we had to make to buy it The time we all got mad at Amos's editorials on state inspection of fruit well The pasture back at Sloan's barn where the kids always find the first spring violets tonight I've I've got every sight and smell and sound of pineville inside me You know why I'm going I'll leave with a clear conscience because I I'll leave a fine man in my place You'll always be with me Every one of you walked in the procession that carried my dad to the graveyard Every one of you shook my hand when I first hung out my shingle. So I don't say goodbye Only God keep you and bless you Darling I I don't even have a wedding bouquet for you unless well, look Mrs. Judson showed this in my buttonhole Will you will you marry me carrying just one white rose? Don't mind telling you this is once in my life. I'm scared to death And now the star of tonight's cavalcade Elliot Newton, thank you We hope that you enjoyed our play on cavalcade tonight But we hope even more that you'll remember it not only as a half hour of radio entertainment But as an example every American can follow in making it possible to relieve physicians for the war effort Just staying healthy at home will help save lives on the battle fronts of the world. Thank you You've probably never heard of a little New York Taylor named Hercules Mulligan But if it had not been for his wits, George Washington might never have led his continental army to victory Next week on cavalcade Dupont presents the celebrated character actor Edmund Gwen as Hercules Mulligan in a new radio play The plot to kidnap General Washington a comedy melodrama suggested by the distinguished American writer Carl Carmer Be with us next week when cavalcade presents Edmund Gwen as Hercules Mulligan in the plot to kidnap General Washington an exciting story of intrigue and adventure On tonight's program the part of Anne Barlow was played by Arlene Francis The orchestra and musical score were under the direction of Don Burry's This is Clayton Collier sending best wishes from our sponsor the Dupont Company of Wilmington, Delaware This program will come to you from New York. This is the national broadcasting company