 They depart Cavalcade of America, starring Louis Calhern and MacDonald Carey. Good evening. This is Louis Calhern. Tonight, as our nationwide commemoration of Memorial Day weekend comes to a close, Cavalcade brings you a story of an American soldier whose spiritual conquest equaled any victory on the battlefield. MacDonald Carey plays this part, and I'm honored to portray a great American general, Leonard Wood. Our play is called Who Walk Alone. Now an original radio play, Who Walk Alone, starring MacDonald Carey as Ned Langford and Louis Calhern as General Leonard Wood on the DuPont Cavalcade of America. Our story begins following the Spanish-American War at the close of the year 1999 in the office of a warehouse in a small southern town one hot summer day. This diamond window seems to be hysterical. Oh, my great big strong hero. Never mind, Jane. I'll get it open. Brains over brawn, a case like this. See? Oh, just in time, too. Another minute in this black hole. We both have suffocated. How do you get any work done in this office? Well, brother Tom and I are out in the warehouse and stable most of the time. Taking care of the horses, checking deliveries. Uh, what I want to know is, after we're married, are you going to be handy at fixing things around the house? Like stuck windows? A girl ought to know things like that about her future husband. Janie, as General Wood used to say, Private Langford, he'd say, if the Spanish-American War had lasted six months longer, you'd have had every family on the island of Luzon eating with knives and force. One thing about you, Ned, you're so modest. Everything about you is nice, Jane. Oh, Ned. Are we going to be happy, aren't we? Yeah, and have about 20 kids. Oh, well, can't anyway. Say, it's still rather stuffy in here, even with the window open. And I keep thinking I smell smooth. Ned! Something must be wrong. Ned! Ned! What is it, Tom? The warehouse is on fire, so I'll just save it. Fire, the horses. Turn in the alarm, Tom. I'll try to get them out. All right, good luck. Wait for me out on the street, Janie. I've got to save those horses. I'm back here, Tom. Trying to get the last horse out. Try to get back to you. Easy, boy. Easy. The shack over his head. Come on out, Jack. Come on out. He's all right now. This is the last horse. We're coming, Jane. Over here. You're all right now, boy. All right, here's John. Turn the horse over to him. Hey, look at your sleeve. Now, do you burn badly? No, just a little. Ned! Oh, Ned! Are you all right? Oh, sure. I burned my hand, but that's getting off pretty easy. What about your arm? My arm? It doesn't hurt. Look at it. It's burned a lot worse than your hand. Oh, we've got to take you right to the doctor. Yeah, it does look bad, all right, but I can't feel a thing. Tell me, Ned, are you sure you weren't nipped by one of those Philippine bullows during the Spanish-American War? Of course not, Doctor. Why? It's the strangest thing. You feel pain only in the hand, yet the arms bring very severely, too. There must be some reason for those numb spots in that area. Doc, the only casualty I had in the war was the time I was kicked by an army mule. My arm was not the area affected. Well, it's very odd. I frankly don't know what to do for you, Ned. Oh, I'd do anything. My hand seems to be healing nicely. My boy, that numbness ought to be investigated by an expert, a specialist. You ought to go up to Washington. Now, I know of a very fine dermatologist there, Dr. Thompson, all the way to Washington just for that. Oh, Doc, I'm going to be married next month. Nevertheless, Ned, I have to warn you, that numbness may be a danger signal. Now, if you don't have it looked at now, you may be sorry later. Very sorry. Ah, now, let's don't worry about it, Doc. It'll be all healed and forgotten by the wedding. You watch. Delightful to be married, to be, be, be, be, be, be, be married. Hey, Ned, Ned, we're going to get out of that bathtub. One of these days, sure. You better come on in if you want to shave. It's delightful to be married. Pretty happy, huh? Oh, why shouldn't I be? I'm marrying the prettiest girl in the world. If you hadn't seen Jane first, I'd be marrying her. I'm providing she'd have you. All right, all right. Hey, you better use a little elbow grease on that spot above your ankle. Huh? Of course. Oh, that's funny. It won't come off. I'll get you some tar soap, Tom. Huh? Never mind, Tom. What's the matter? Tom, it's a, it's a numb spot, like my arm. What? There's something wrong. The doctor tried to tell me, and I wouldn't listen to him. He thought I might have the numbness because of some old injury I'd forgotten about. But neither one of us reckoned on its spreading. Now it's in my leg. Oh, what, what can you do if the doctor doesn't know how to cure it? Don't go see some other doctor who doesn't know. There's one in Washington, Dr. Thompson. Oh, that'll be a fine honeymoon. There won't be any honeymoon or wedding. Oh, no, no. Wait a minute. You out of your mind. What'll Jane think if you just leave her at the church so to speak? You'd better try to explain it to her. If I do, she'll talk me out of going. I know of her. Oh, but what did I say? That you've got a numb spot on your ankle so you can't marry her because you might trip carrying her over the doorstep? Tom, listen to me. I've tried to laugh at this thing all along to tell myself it was some freak skin irritation. But if it's spreading, Tom, it could be really serious. I want to know now, for sure. Oh. What are you going to tell Jane? Tell her I was called to Washington. Oh, let's see. Tell her General Leonard would call me to... Yes, call me there for a conference on veterans' problems. Tell her as soon as we get them all settled, I'll be back to marry her. Yes, this is General Wood. Oh, yes, yes, Dr. Thompson. What can I do for you? A Spanish-American war veteran? Special case, eh? I see. Well, is it something that'll help army research? Yes, I mean in the field of tropical diseases. I see. Doctor, haven't you any idea what it is? Good Lord. I'll be over, Doctor. Immediately. Come in. Thank you. This young man is a veteran of the Philippine campaign, General. Ned Langford. Did you say General Wood? Oh, how do you do, sir? Good morning, Mr. Langford. General, Mr. Langford tells me he was billeted with several different families in the Philippines. And of course, especially during the war, conditions weren't always of the best. Are you trying to say I caught some kind of native skin disease out there, Doctor? In a way, yes. It's possible, though not usual. But the war was over nine years ago. Why would it wait so long to show up? Well, if this is what I think it is, or what I'm sure it is, the period of incubation often takes several years. Why do you say you're so sure, Doctor? Because the symptoms of Hanson's bacillus are unmistakable. Hanson's bacillus? What's that? I never heard of it. I'm afraid you have under a different name. It's leprosy, son. Leprosy. Thus it was that while I was Army Chief of Staff in Washington, in the case of Ned Langford, Spanish-American war veteran came to my attention. It engaged my interest for the rest of my life. Hanson's disease, leprosy. With my own medical background and my military governorship of Cuba, I knew that even those who had devoted their lives to a study of Hanson's disease knew little of it. And in Ned Langford, the small information and the smaller hope that Dr. Thompson and I could give were almost worse than none at all. He left Dr. Thompson's office to walk alone. Hey, buddy, got a nickel for a cup of coffee. No. No, you don't want any money I've touched. You want to get over to High Street? Here, I'll show you. Point in the direction, Officer, please. But don't touch me. Hey, Mr. Lookout, you'll get run over walking in the middle of the street like that. Yeah, yeah, all right. If I touch anyone on a crowded sidewalk, I may give it to him. I may have already given it to anyone I know or love. Tom or Jane. Jane. Waiting here at the hotel for so long, where have you been? What are you doing here? Who told you to follow me to Washington? Can you blame a girl when a fellow walks out on her? I want to see what you and General Wood were doing here. General Wood? Oh, I knew that was just a story. Tom made up as an excuse. Oh, yeah, yeah, it was just an excuse. What's the matter, Nate? You look so pale and worried. What's this all about anywhere? He shouldn't have come here, Jane. No, look, I know there's something troubling you, but I'm going to cure all that. First, with a kiss. No, no, don't touch me. Tell him what is it? You must never come near me or touch me again, do you? I want you to take the next train back home. I don't understand. Jane, I... I don't know what to say. I don't know how to tell you. Is it something I've done or said? Please, Nate, do me. No, no, it's not your fault. Well, what is it then? You couldn't just suddenly fall out of love with me, could you? Maybe you were worried about getting married and so little money. Just get you away by saying we have ten kids. Jane, don't. Well, then tell me, Ned, please, I have a right to know. Well, I... I can only say... Well, Jane, I... I guess it's true. I've just gotten a way to think it over and I guess I've fallen out of love with you, Jane. I don't know when it happened or how, but it seemed to me that a clean break is better than hanging on, especially when you realize that there's no use pretending. I see. I'm sorry, Ned. Goodbye. Goodbye, Jane. Goodbye, Die. You are listening to Who Walk Alone, starring Louis Calhearn as General Leonard Wood and MacDonald Carey as Ned Langford on The Cavalcade of America, sponsored by The Depart Company, makers of better things for better living through chemistry. General Leonard Wood, one of America's great military leaders of the past, is telling the story of a soldier he once knew. Ned Langford, a young veteran of the Spanish-American War, had come into the doctor's office in Washington with his life before him, a life that showed great promise. When he left, he was a man who walked alone, alone with the knowledge that he was a victim of leprosy. I had him followed. He tried to lose himself in the crowds of the city and because I felt him to be a man of conscience, I was afraid for him. So I went and followed him myself. In the midst of the rubble and discarded trash of the city's dump, it sure is hungry out tonight, Salvation. Fear not. The good Lord will take pity on the humble and heavily burdened and give them bread. Yeah, bread. Uh-oh, somebody coming right now might have to eat us to buy it. Evening, Beau. Who are you? The city dump. We don't ask personal questions like that, Beau. This is the jungle. Sit down. Have a cup of cold gravel with Salvation and me. It's dark. Where are you? The good Lord has provided me with a right comfortable if somewhat crummy baby carriage to sit in. There's a pile of lumber there. Sit. Thanks. Thanks. Walked a long way. Got any money on you, Beau? You wouldn't want it. I wouldn't, huh? Just try me. I've got a disease. Don't touch anything I've touched. Come on, give me some. The Lord gave it and the Lord gave it away. Yeah, Salvation's over. Stay away from me, I'll tell you. I got a gun. Hey, put that gun away. Why? Guns to be used when you find there's no place in the world left. Only the city dump wherein is gathered the refuse of a hundred thousand human beings, a heap of broken baby carriages, rusty cans, quacked china, rubbish. Here's where I belong. With the outcast trash. And here's where I'll die. Private Langford. Who's that? Who's there? General Wood. I was afraid you might try to take your own life, Ned. I came to find you as soon as they told me you were headed down here. You think your being here will prevent me from doing it? The only thing left to me? I hope to persuade your son that you do have a future. A future? If people knew the truth about me, they'd run from me, crying, unclean. I'm untouchable, human refuse. What future? Ned, my boy, I'm not going to lie to you. There's a lot we doctors have to find out about leprosy. It's only 40 years ago that a Norwegian named Hansen discovered the bacillus. So what? He discovered a disease but no cure. They're using a new treatment in the Philippines. I'm not too sure what the results have been, but it's my understanding that there's much hope for it. My own opinion is that this disease is like any other, and it can be conquered. You think of yourself stricken with a rare illness. The facts are that it's found almost everywhere. The thing I can't understand is this awful fear of it, where at one-tenth is communicable, as most people believe, none of your buddies would have escaped it. An insane superstition has grown up around the name Lepper. What's the difference with the name? The difference is, what am I going to do? Go to Cullion in the Philippines. There's a colony there for people with leprosy, and they need such men as you. They need me. Why? Only a man who has experienced the worst can help his brothers who suffer as he does. Ignorance and fear are your greatest enemies. I believe you can do a lot in the fight against them. Ned, if you'll go out to Cullion and live there in the colony, you discover for yourself the way to help. The good book says, he who loses his life, we find it. This man is right, Ned. You shall find your life again. Ned Langford set out upon his journey halfway around the world to the island of Cullion. With Dr. Thompson's help, he vanished from all contact with his old life. Now at Cullion, he entered his new life. Mister, mister, you in the house, mister? Yes, what is it? Excuse, mister, I am Thomas. I'm new here, too. They tell me at the infirmary, I should come to your shack. They tell me I shared it with you. Well, that's all right with me. Hope you don't mind sleeping on the floor and sitting in the dark. We don't have any conveniences. Oh, excuse, but I think it is fine house. We can look out over harbor. Whether it's right, I catch fish for our dinner. And eat at raw, I suppose. We haven't any stove. Oh, I find a stove, mister. I find this a nab, too. You let me stay here with you, huh? How old are you, boy? Twelve, almost. And you're here alone? Yes, mister. They tell me I am sick. I leave two sisters and a brother and Luzon. They say, they say if one comes to Cullion, he never returned to his home again. You don't believe that, do you? How can I believe otherwise? What shall I do without him, sir? We must find a way to manage, boy. If no one will help us, we must do it ourselves. What house, sir? Well, now, you should be able to find a lamp and I built a couple of beds. We'd have the start of a new home, wouldn't we? Oh, yes, sir. And as I tell you, I think I find this stove for us. And I know how to make fishing tackle. We might even go fishing together one of these days. How about it? It'll be season, mister. Every day is good for fishing now. And we'll be friends. Oh, yes. Yes, sir. We shall be good friends. And then the boy, Thomas, did make a home for the shack overlooking Cullion Harbour. But after that was done, there seemed nothing ahead for them but idleness. A few months later, I came to Cullion myself on an inspection tour. Come in. Come in, General. Well, Ned, this is quite an attractive place you have here. Well, thanks, General. Sit down in that chair. It's the clean one reserved for our well guests. I see. And this is Thomas. I am Thomas Aquila, sir. Mr. Langford Knight, we are friends. Well, that's fine. Fine. I'm sorry, our hospitality is so limited here. We're not allowed to serve refreshments to non-patients unless you bring your own. Ned, I've learned a few things about the contagious aspect of Hansen's disease since I saw you last. Somehow the idea that it's easily transmitted must be erased from the public mind. Do you mean that, General? Because I think I know of one way to do it. And at the same time help our patients here. How, Ned? If we could produce such things as road materials, bricks, tiles, or furniture, which could be easily disinfected, the outside world might begin to forget its exaggerated fears about us. Perhaps, well, it'd be a start, anyway. Son, back in Washington, I told you your greatest enemies were fear and ignorant. Yes, I know, General. Well, there are new ideas. Young research scientists at work. If we can only raise money in the states, there'll be new laboratories. You'll go home cured one day. I'm convinced. No, no, General. My friend, Thomas, might perhaps not hide. Why not? You'll accomplish your dream. So will I. I want the world to have knowledge, to understand the truth about leprosy, to work for its eradication as honestly as odd doctors of work to wipe out yellow fever and typhoid. We are beginning to learn, Ned, and you and others, many others, shall benefit from our knowledge one day, perhaps. But I shall never leave Cooley on. Why not? If you're cured, General, do you remember a black knight in a city dumped years ago? Do you remember the old hobo they called Salvation? I haven't forgotten what he said, General Wood. He that loses his life shall find it. Yes, I remember. I have found my life here, General, at Cooley on. With my brothers, I shall do useful work as long as I have strength. I shall never leave here as long as I live. For here are my brothers. And Ned never left Cooley on. In two years, he had 50 fishermen supplying fresh fish to the islanders. With the help of his new friends, he enlarged the refrigeration plant. By the time I returned to the Philippines as Governor-General, he'd wired the houses for electric power. After his direction, work, productive work was bringing new life to Cooley on. On Memorial Day, when we remember those who died for our country, I think of one who walked alone. The soldier who fought a battle as terrible as any on the battlefield. The story of Ned Langford struck down by an ancient dread disease points a challenge. And to us, his triumph indicates a great responsibility. It is strange, it has been said, that men should see sublime inspiration in the ruins of an old church, and see none in the ruins of a man. Our radio listeners join the audience in the theater tonight, applauding the performances of Louis Calhoun, McDonnell Cherry, and the others in tonight's cast of Cavalcade of America. And now we present the president of the Leonard Wood Memorial, chairman of the United States delegation to the recent Fifth International Congress of Leprosy in Havana, Cuba. He's the author of the book Who Walk Alone, on which tonight's cavalcade was based, Perry Burgess. The last time I saw General Leonard Wood, he was an ill but an unbroken man. He had come home from the Philippines for an operation from which he did not recover. He said then, nothing matters for me but to see that Leprosy is conquered. His words constitute for us a heritage and an obligation. Ladies and gentlemen, I have returned recently from Havana where more than 200 doctors from 40 countries attended the Fifth International Leprosy Congress. They gave and heard reports of the progress of man's warfare against Leprosy, Hanson's disease. And I may tell you emphatically that there is greater hope of victory today than at any time in the history of mankind. Thank you and good night. Next week, Cavalcade presents the popular Hollywood star Ray Milland in the last frontier. It's the exciting story of the great American artist Frederick Runnington and his adventures in painting the colorful masterpieces that depict the last turbulent days of our Western frontier. We hope you'll join us next week for Ray Milland's appearance on Cavalcade. The script for tonight's Dupont Cavalcade was written by Virginia Radcliffe and Milton Wayne. Music was composed by Arden Cornwell and conducted by Donald Bryan. Louis Calhern can currently be seen as the star of the Broadway stage success that plays the thing. And MacDonald Carey is now appearing in the Paramount picture Green Girl co-starring Betty Hutton. This is Ted Pearson inviting you to listen next week to the last frontier starring Ray Milland. And in weeks to come listen to Cavalcade's stories starring William Powell and Gene Tierney. Cavalcade of America is presented each week from the stage of the Longacre Theater on Broadway in New York and is brought to you by the Dupont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.