 The Cavalcade of America Here is a fine comment received by DuPont sponsor of the Cavalcade of America from a high school teacher in Michigan The Cavalcade of America has caught the true local color of realistic dynamic American history The accuracy and vigorous spirit of the broadcast is to be commended The hour chosen is most appropriate for the students in our schools and my youngsters await the coming broadcast with intense Expectation and enthusiasm and I wish to express my sincere appreciation to your company There is nothing so inspiring as voluntary praise of this sort and it encourages every single person connected with the production of this program Since the Cavalcade of America is also a tribute to the work of chemists Our listeners may learn something of interest and value from the brief stories of chemical research presented at the close of each broadcast Thus gaining a broader understanding of the DuPont chemists pledge better things or better living through chemistry The DuPont Cavalcade Orchestra opens the program with a special arrangement of a Venetian love song by the American composer Eppelbert Nevin make the America we know today and particularly the quality of perseverance Countless stories might be told that the part this quality has played in our country's growth and For one of them that has turned back to New England in the year 1841 We are in the kitchen in the home of the young mill hand Elias Fowl Across the table from him in the light of the whale oil lamp his wife is sewing Thanks, Elias. You make me nervous Yeah, and at me so what's got into you? Ah, oh, uh, don't mind me I was just trying to find out how you sold Do you know yet? Well, I swear I couldn't make my fingers fly as yours do but I think I've got the hang of it I like to try There's enough so and to be done goodness knows it's all that children thing and Every stitch has to be sewn by hand doesn't it well if you know of any faster way dear. I wish you'd tell me That's just the point There isn't any faster way Arie Davis was right by Jiminy the man who could invent a machine that would so would make a fortune and Relieve this world of untold drudgery Elias. What are you talking about a machine to sew? Would you ever come by such a foolish notion? No, no, it's not a foolish notion Can't you see what it would mean? I can see what it would mean, but I can't see how it could be done That's what I have to find out my dear Elias. You're not serious. I most certainly am serious Why not? I'm one of the best machinists in this town. I have a head haven't I? Well, I I'm going to use it Yes, and make heaps and heaps of money for you, but Elias you No, buts my angel. I'm serious There should be a fortune in it a new life for women and I'm going to stick at it until I succeed now Show me how you sew Elias howl works steadily to build a machine that will draw a needle back and forth We find him in the kitchen with his wife and his father. I Admire your perseverance and but I am beginning to have doubts about your intelligence now Don't say that Papa how Elias has been working dreadfully hard on his invention. You don't understand father I understand what everyone's been saying about your son that you're a fine hand with tools if you don't Yes, I don't me give up my one chance to amount to something make a name for myself to provide a future for my wife and children. I Know what they're saying, but if it's a fair question, son What have you accomplished in the past year? Well, that's what I've been trying to explain to you father. I Got off on the wrong track. I've wasted a year trying to build a machine that would duplicate the movements of the human hand But now I have the right idea your hand there. Give me your sewing. Yeah Now watch father. I put the needle through and bring it up again You see that loop of thread. Yeah, well suppose another thread went through the loop and lock the stitch So it couldn't come out Why? Well, you'd have it son. Yes, and that's the principle I'm going to work on on top of the cloth a needle going up and down Below a shuttle going back and forth. Now doesn't that sound sensible? Of course it take time to work out father I have to be at the shop ten hours every day There are materials to buy. How much does Eric Davis P you son nine dollars a week. Well, that's ridiculous Elias working ten hours a day six days every week for nine dollars when he has This thing in his head this this invention that the whole world is waiting for Nonsense, that's what it is. It may be father But I don't know what can be done about it. No, you don't. Well, I do you can tell Davis you're through what Papa How yes through and you're going to pack up here and come and live with me where you can use your brains to some effect Back by his father Elias how devoted all his time to build a machine according to his new idea Three years fast. It is 1845 in a large Boston factory. We find the manager addressing an interested crowd We're going to start the contest in a moment How does y'all know mr. Elias how? Standing on my right Challenge five of the best journeyman tailors in New England on my left He claims he can beat him so exception on the table here a sewing machine. I think he calls it And each one has exactly the same amount of cloth Measured most exactly by your stomach already. I'm ready. Thanks. All right on your mark Then take your time boys. Don't hurry. We don't want to skunk him completely As the race continues the crowd watches breathlessly Standing close beside Elias how is his friend George Fisher who has helped in financing the invention the contest draws to a flow Come on boys get a wiggle off. Yeah, look out. He's gaining Machine working all right Eli. Yeah perfectly George Don't rush it. You've got lots of time Only another foot to go Eli That's the way Eli that's the way This will convince them There that's finished George. Good. Sorry, gentlemen. I'm afraid I've beaten you Let's have a look all my partners one sir. There's no question about that. Take a look at the city Yeah, see that holds give it a pause give it a pause. Yep Looks like he's one boys fair and square And a thing wrong but I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes But no manufacturer was found it was willing to buy a machine which was believed to be still in the experimental state It how refused to be discouraged if America was not interested there were other countries So 18 months later we find him in the office of an English textual factory Now look you here mr. Howel seems to me the firm has done all for you that can be reasonably expected I can't agree. Mr. Thomas. I feel that I've been treated most shamefully In what way may I ask when you brought me over from America you agree to come lad Let's stick to the facts or we agreed to do we've done pay a three pound a week for services What about the money for royalties you owe me money for royalties? What's all this lad? You know you agreed to pay me ten pounds for every machine you manufactured Oh, we did and have you a written agreement to that effect You know there was no written agreement then you'd best say no more about it, mr. Howl Then you're determined to swindle me out of those little lad. We'll have none of that language here Very well What do you intend to do intend to do why not a thing except well? I'll make you an offer you want to return to America. My wife is ill Probably dying high well then forget about this piton business and those royalties and we see you have a passage home In the fastest black ball packet. No. Oh, is that a passage home For all my work. Why I'll see you hang first. I'll work my way back to stitch By selling his last model and forming his patent right howl raised enough money to return to America Mrs. Howl never recovered, but true to his promise to her Elias kept up the struggle Soon after her death his invention was recognized But other sewing machines were being made which use the principles covered by Howl's patent Three years later we find him with his father and George Fisher in the lobby of a hotel in Washington How do you feel son kind of anxious? No, no father. I Feel that the Supreme Court's going to decide the case in our favor. I Really think we're going to win if the Supreme Court knew what I know Eli You would win in the case receive a laurel wreath to boot How you stuck it out what you've been through The time your father's house burned down the night I found you were driving a locomotive to get more money for material Yes, yes, but the English experience was the worst one George And then coming home to find my wife dying My patent stolen over here as well There's someone calling me over here my friend. Mr. Howl. Congratulations, sir a thousand congratulations The Supreme Court has just I handed down their decision before recessing for the weekend. What was it man? Hurry, mr. How are you one on every count? Trounced all those pirates to a fairly well What's more sir the payment of royalties has been made retroactive. You're a rich man Mr. Howl, do you realize it a rich man right this very minute you've won boy It's been a long struggle, but you want many people have ideas good ones too But they don't have the courage to hang on to success. No, I'm proud of you boy proud of you Perseverance unswerving faith in an ideal the dogged courage to go on in the face of repeated disappointments These qualities brought Elias Howl success and one of the most useful of all inventions to this country and the world The cavalcade of America presented by DuPont moves on Courage and perseverance marching shoulder to shoulder with American ingenuity for centuries men had talked of flying Dreamers inventors daring souls had given their lives to the hopeless conquest of the air and then in the year 1896 began the curious series of events that started a more persistent tenacious struggle toward the unaccomplished goal On an afternoon of this year. We find Wilbur Wright entering the family home in Dayton, Ohio Where he is greeted by his sister Catherine whom he had nicknamed Sturgeon Hello Sturgeon, how's all much better doctor been here. Uh-huh. He says the type would practically over all we have to do now is keep him quiet We'll see to that Sturgeon can I go in of course you can oh Here's Wilbur back. Come in. Well Oh Yeah, you're better. So they tell me be down in the shop almost any day now Sit down. You come to the shop when you're told a young fella not a minute sooner Any excitement at the shop today? No No, there's a knight in the afternoon paper the kind of interest me Do you ever hear of a fellow named Lilian saw? Otto linear saw. Well, what about him? Well, he was that German who's been experimenting with glider flight. Oh, yes I know He was killed yesterday. Oh hard luck. Yes So a lot of control while making his last flight before installing power. Well, I'm sorry to learn that will Lillian Thor made some very important experiments. I think he had the right idea You think he How much do you know about flying or well quite a little? When following all these experiments reading everything I could get my hands on why? No, it's funny. So if I I've been hip done flying ever since dad gave us that helicopter when we were kids Remember it. Sure. I do. You remember those kites we made I Thought you'd forgotten those days. Well, not by a jug for why give anything Anything off take up where this poor chapter Lilian Thor left off. You mean take up flying seriously. Yes first Find out all there isn't books about the subject. You know chenute maximum Langley many experiment build models tackle the thing Scientifically sure and keep at it until we get somewhere until we fly off We are bad. You've been in there long enough coming Sturgeon long enough to start something. Hey love Three years later on the banks above the Miami River in Ohio the two right brothers flying a huge box kite About them a handful of eager youngsters and a few skeptical adults I know but later this is serious business on who you hear that Serious business like your grandmother's foot. Why they've been playing with them kites for two years Yeah, just like a pair of kids Dawson feathers in the air watching birds. I think they're loony. Yes. I wouldn't be a might surprise Hello looks like they thought they had something You're right off gee well I can look at that kite sail quiver. I think we've got something at last Testing models observing birds and flights carefully studying air currents by means of floating feathers The two men reached the point in 1900 where they think they can build a glider and then at Kitty Hawk North Carolina that year the right brothers began the first of their 1100 glider flight For three years they experimented tested change their models and finally one day in October 19 to Wilbur runs panting across the sands after a 60 second flight the longest in a heavier-than-air machine on record Oh, it works it works sure does what did it do? Well acted perfectly the new wings the answer of We've got it at last seem to work put it slick that time mr. Right as simple as could be when the wing tilts down You just push the rod and back she comes no side slip. No, we definitely got lateral balance or you can keep it level Go on try it marvelous sure. I'll try it. But remember when the wings get even level I mean don't forget to stop pushing that rod. Don't worry. All right climb aboard come on you men All hands on the rope now. Are you ready off the feet on the rods all set? Well, all right boys everybody pull together Are you ready? Give her a good one. Come on now Don't forget the rod or months of hard work follow another problem tackled with quiet grim A problem that had never been solved before The design and construction of a motor light enough and strong enough to lift their glider from the ground Finally on the morning of December 17th 193 a handful of shivering men are gathered on the sands of Kitty Hawk the Wright brothers and their helpers Five inhabitants of the nearby village one lone newspaper man It's shortly after 10 o'clock Are you betting Jeb figure they'll call it off wouldn't mind much of they did this wind cut sharpen a knife I don't know what they aim and to do Jeb put a machine up there on the track They got fixed there. Yeah, Rick. And that's the ticket Moke. Of course. You can't fly any food. No that Yeah, you're right brothers now. How do it right? Well, what do you say? Well the wind steady and yes Oh, I've been watching it. Should we give her a try? Yes, let's get underway. All right fellas London hand here We're going to turn the machine around Yes, that's right You are the three take hold of the strut and pull All together now That's right Careful of the monorail. Don't let the landing skid bump it That's enough now everyone please come in close grab hold of the landing skids and lift the whole machine only 650 pounds so I reckon the seven of us can lift it easily. Huh? Yeah. Are you all ready? I couldn't lift it myself Easy now better down in the tracks gently You ready or it's your turn you won the toss will now I had my chance the other day John near wreck the machine Come on climb aboard. You won't change your mind. Will now maybe your chance to make history And maybe his chance to commit suicide. Well, all right Start the propellers well benzene on benzene on switch all right got to switch on to give it a crank here goes then Let it warm up a bit of right This rocks out from the north of Virginia pilot. You like to give me a statement before you go a better way to like come back Yes, I will When I give the signal off the holding wire and run decide the right wing tip right try to keep it level with the track Or that winds increasing. Yes, I better go. All right. Well, good luck off Never get it off the ground if that's the speaking up. Holy crappy. Look, she's lifting it's in the air Look it's climbing six billion to the indomitable perseverance of two Americans Man had at last lifted himself off the ground and finally conquered the realm of the bird After centuries of hope and endeavor the impossible had been attained Thanks to the same inherent qualities of character that are always found in the cavalcade of america America has been fortunate indeed to have had citizens in every generation inspired by the spark of inventive genius Their perseverance has created greater comforts and wider opportunities for every individual in the land Last week I had an experience which led me to discover some of the little known ways in which chemical research Contributes to our daily lives It all started when I found a large ugly spot on my suit A telephone call brought the dry cleaners to my door and in a couple of days. I had my suit back spick and spam That same day I was expressing my admiration of the job dry cleaners do When a friend of mine who happens to be a dupont chemist told me a lot of interesting facts about solvents chemicals that serve us by reason of their dissolving power I learned that dupont supplies a great many dry cleaners with a very solvent that does such remarkable work It's also put up in handy cans for household use and sold in retail stores under the trademark try clean Try clean is only one of a large number of solvents that chemists have developed for various purposes Many metal objects for instance must be cleaned to prepare them for electroplating lacquering or painting If this cleaning had to be done by hand the cost of many articles that you use every day would be much higher Instead they're given a bath in vats of the proper solvent and they come out clean as a whistle ready for the finishing operation Whenever you wear nice fluffy warm woolen clothing You can thank chemistry because solvents were used to clean the raw wool The paint varnish and lacquer industry uses great quantities also For it is the solvent in these finishes that makes it possible to apply them And if you've ever refinished an old piece of furniture, you probably use the solvent to remove the paint or varnish Vegetable oils are sometimes extracted with solvent lubricating oils refined with them and rubber cement made with them The task of producing just the right solvent for any particular job Represents an inconspicuous But nonetheless important service that dupont chemists perform for a number of american industries and indirectly for all of us This is simply another expression of the dupont ideal Better things for better living through chemistry They also serve stories of the fortitude and bravery of american womanhood Will be heard next week at this same time when dupont again presents the cavalcade of america This is the columbia broadcasting system wavc new york