 I was a communist for the FBI. ...during Dana Andrews and an exciting tale of danger and espionage... I was a communist for the FBI. From the actual records and authentic experiences of Matt Sevetik, how many of the incidents in this unusual story... Here is our star Dana Andrews as Matt Sevetik, who for nine fantastic years lived as a communist for the FBI. When two corrupt forces meet head-on, and one of them is communism, the explosion is terrifying for its praised disaster in every direction. This is the story of such an explosion and the tragedy of the innocent bystanders. In a moment, listen to Dana Andrews as Matt Sevettik, undercover man. Matt Sevettik, undercover man. This story from the confidential file is marked squeeze play. In spite of the political cartoons you've seen, communists seldom look like long-haired zombies with bombs in every pocket. Their sinister aspects are much more subtle. For example, well here, consider this group seated around this table. They might be the local PTA board discussing school lunches or the social committee of your bowling league planning a dance. But unfortunately, they're not. These ordinary-looking people are red functionaries in the act of choosing a patsy, a fall guy, an unsuspecting lamb to be sacrificed on the altar of public sympathy for the commies. The purpose of this unholy ritual? Of course comrades, you understand the real purpose of this public sympathy project is to prove the strength of our cause. This mild little man is Herbert Samish, our cell leader. Our job is to convince the American public that we communists are poor, mistreated, misunderstood darlings who are being persecuted unjustly according to their constitution. The cure for that is to eliminate their decadent constitution. Naturally, comrades, vetik, but we don't say that. What is the procedure, Comrade Samish? Ah, the procedure. It's been outlined for us by the National Board of the Party. We are to choose a man who is awaiting trial in jail for some crime or other and help in every possible way to set him free. Once we've chosen our man, we'll use every propaganda device we know. Publications, petitions, public demonstrations, that sort of thing. To make the public believe he is being persecuted not for the crime he may have committed, but for being sympathetic to the Communist Party. Political persecution for some reason is distasteful to America. Comrade Samish, I have the file here on untried criminal cases. Oh, very good, good. All the people listed here are in jail now, awaiting their trials. What about this Leo Bremner? You've circled his name. Bremner? Oh, he's worth considering. One of our front organizations in Woodford City received a letter from his mother asking us for help. Woodford City, eh? That's good territory for us. Mrs. Bremner claims her son was picked up on a murder charge two months ago and he's been held without a hearing. Lawyers won't take the case and the police refuse to act on it. In Woodford City, that's quite possible. This man may be made to order for us. Is Bremner sympathetic to the proletariat? What difference does it make? Our propaganda will make it seem that he is. Of course. And remember, comrades, we'll be helping this poor man. He's in no position to look a gift horse in the mouth. Even a red gift horse. These big excavation jobs sure are fun to watch, aren't they? Yeah, sure are. Yes, sir, I'm a sidewalk superintendent from way back. Steam shovels attract me like... like red to a bull. Does this bull see red? Yeah. Come on over here, we can see better. Well, what's the latest, man? Well, you've finally picked a patsy for that big propaganda campaign I told you about. Who is he? A guy named Leo Bremner. He's been held in Communicado for two months over in Woodford City. That figures. Why, the FBI got something on Bremner? No, but we know enough about Woodford City. That's Andy Boland's town, you know. Boland? The political boss, yeah. One of those two-bit tyrants who makes the laws as he goes along. Boland's political machine is as corrupt as they come. Dirty politics. No wonder Sammich was so interested in Woodford City. Sure? Ready-made propaganda for the Commies. Just be thankful there aren't more towns run by characters like Boland. I guess that's why lawyers won't touch Bremner's case. They must be afraid to buck Boland's machine. Be careful of him, Matt. He can make things rough for you and rougher for the Bremner kid. Nice spot for Bremner. Dirty politics on one side and the reds on the other. Yeah. Just see that you're not caught in the middle with him. The next day Herbert Sammich and I started to prepare the lamb for the sacrifice. We went to visit Lee O'Bremner's mother in Woodford City. She was a tired, defeated little woman, dulled by a life of hard work, dismal, tenement surroundings, and tragedy. I wanted to warn her somehow of the true nature of our plans, but my hints were buried in her desperate, pathetic eagerness for help. Mr. Sammich, Mr. Savelik, I can't tell you what this means to me. If you could only get them to listen, to give Lee O'Bremner a hearing, a trial. We'll do more than that, Mrs. Bremner. We'll let the world know of the injustice done to him. I don't care about the world. Lee O'Bremner is my world. Your son is a symbol, Mrs. Bremner, a symbol of the little people that struggling masses crushed under the heel of decadent concepts of justice. Justice. In this town, a person ain't got a chance. Not people like us. This could never happen in a classless dictatorship of the proletariat. We got our dictator right here, Andy Boland. Him and his dirty politicians. Look what they're doing to my Leo. Would you mind reviewing the facts for us, Mrs. Bremner? Oh, there was a killing here about, oh, maybe six or eight months ago. The police sort of ignored it, I guess. But everybody kept saying it should be solved. That's killing me. So Boland's police went out and found themselves a suspect to satisfy the public demand, is that it? Well, I guess so. All I know for sure is Leo wouldn't kill nobody. I know he wouldn't. Has he ever been in trouble before? He never had time for trouble. School every night and working in the city hall every day. Reading books and studying. What for? For what? Mrs. Bremner, we'll help your son. We'll do everything we possibly can to help him. I can't pay nothing. Look how we live. We ain't got money to pay lawyers or... We're not interested in money, Mrs. Bremner. But no, Mrs. Bremner. You're much more interested in your son. And it wasn't long before everyone was interested in Mrs. Bremner's son. The red propaganda machine buzzed into action with Herbert Samish in the pilot seat and I as his co-pilot. Have the pamphlets been distributed, Svetich? As come, and we covered the tenement district thoroughly. 300 signatures all demanding a trial for Bremner. Good work, comrade. The politicians are circulating right now. Fine, fine. Now to get to the newspapers. Any of the Woodford City newspapers using our stories? None. They're afraid to fight Boland. And we'll have to rephrase the stories. Look at this headline, comrade. Police hold red sympathizer for murder. Well, it worked. It's marvelous. I'm glad because we're supporting him. Now we can accuse Boland of political persecution. We'd better be careful, comrade. Boland is bound to strike back. I'm quite prepared for that. Oh, by the way, Svetich, this message came for you. Oh, thanks. Well? Anything wrong? Yes. Just what does this mean? Just what it says. You've been invited to visit Andy Boland. Sort of a command performance, I imagine. But the message is addressed to you. He wants to see you, not me. Oh, no, I phoned him and explained that you, not I, were in charge of the Bremner campaign. But that's not so. Of course not. Just a matter of protection, that's all. I don't understand. Well, Boland obviously wants a showdown. It's very possible that he can undo all the good we've done for our cause. Our party leaders would be terribly displeased with that. Wouldn't they? I see. But whether they were displeased with me than with you, more or less, let's just consider it your sacrifice for the good of the party. And there I was, right in the middle, sharing space with the original victim, Leo Bremner, whom I'd never seen. The only way I could avoid the showdown with Boland was to admit I was an undercover man and that was out of the question. There was nothing for me to do but meet Boland in his office. I found him to be fat, love, and hearty, with a blotchy face that seemed to be all chins. All right, Sylvete, let's get down to cases. You and that stooge of yours samish your commies, aren't you? Is that what you called me here this time? Ah, never mind, relax. I know your commies. And I know your angle in this Bremner campaign, too, the old sympathy routine. Yeah. Used it myself a few times. But it's not gonna work for you, my boy. You're sure of that? Look, in our racket, tools are necessary when you want to build a case for yourself and Bremner is a tool. So I'm gonna eliminate Bremner. Fair enough, eh? The people wouldn't stand for that. Not even from you. The people? The people, eh? Yeah, the people stand for what I give them, son. And I'm gonna give them just what you've got them yelling for. You mean you'll put Bremner on trial? Yes, sir. You look surprised. I don't believe it. You haven't got enough evidence to convict him. You sure of that? The boy, man, and my position can buy all the evidence he needs. You know, your Patsy Bremner is my Patsy, too. What do you mean by that? Leo Bremner did commit that murder. What? Maybe you don't know it, but Bremner's just a two-bit ward healer. Yeah, he worked for me buying votes. Started getting upperties, so he sent a man to straighten them up. And that was a fight Leo killed him. And... Why haven't you put him on trial before? He knows too much. But you and your red playmates have given me a good excuse to get him out of the way for keeps. Yeah, I'll tag him as red. Load the evidence against him for treason. That works. Yes, sir, I'm gonna kill two birds with one conviction. The trial will get rid of Bremner, and your comid big shots is gonna get rid of you. You see, Subetic? I can play the red game, too. Back to Dana Andrews as Matt Subetic. And I was a communist for the FBI and the second act of our story. There are two insidious forces of corruption threatening our freedom today. One, the cheap politicians like Andy Boland who exploit our liberty in the name of Americanism. The other, even worse. The rotten-hearted subversives, led by Herbert Samish and other dedicated reds who seek to undermine America in the name of communism. Both forces usually feed on each other. But in this case, they were feeding on me. To ensure a conviction, Boland had loaded Bremner's trial with all sorts of phony evidence. Every point against Bremner was a point against me and the commie records, and there was nothing I could do about it. As the trial went on, though, my busy red comrades were doing everything possible to set a murderer free. Order! Order in the court, please! If these constant interruptions don't stop, I'll be forced to clear the court. Yeah, sure! It's easier to convict a political prisoner and private it! I wish to impress upon the jury the importance of overlooking these interruptions. Please remember that the defendant is on trial for murder and nothing else. He wouldn't be on trial at all if he had reactionary proof. That's right, that's right. There'll be a recess until 10 tomorrow morning. But it didn't stop there. The red state's public demonstrations all over Woodford City, claiming that the bewildered Leo Bremner was the victim of political persecution. All this in spite of the fact that Bremner was actually a murderer. At my next meeting with Herbert Samish, I tried to reason with him. My dear comrade Stettich, we can't stop our work now. It would be a moral victory for the enemy. But we'll do the party more harm if we side with an out-and-out killer. Our leaders will be furious. If that happens, I'm afraid you'll be a martyr to our cause. I've arranged for that, you know? Yes, I know. Oh, is that what bothers you? My welfare is governed by the progress of the proletarian revolt. I have no... I'm sorry to interrupt. Mrs. Bremner, what brings you here? Oh, I just came to say how grateful I am for everything you've done. Oh, that's very nice of you. Nobody else would help me. Only you and your friend. Without you, my Leo would never have got a trial. We appreciate your gratitude, Mrs. Bremner. Well, I... I just wanted to say thank you. You're very welcome. Is there something else on your mind, Mrs. Bremner? Well, I... That's all right. Speak up. Well, I came to ask you something. If you'd please don't mind. Not at all. We want to help, you know. I wonder, would it be all right if your friends didn't keep interrupting Leo's trial like they do? I mean, the judge and the jury, they think Leo is... Just a minute, please. Is this your doing, Svetic? Absolutely not. In fact, I resent her telling us how to run our affairs. But, Mr. Svetic, Leo is my son. His life is my affair, too. Well, there's a time and place for that sort of sentimental path. Exactly. You must remember, Mrs. Bremner, that your son means nothing to us personally. As an individual, he is nothing. Nothing? Then why? Why do you...? If you have anything else on your mind, Mrs. Bremner, stop dawdling and say it. Well, yes, I... I keep hearing people say Leo and me are communists. The newspapers, they keep saying we got communist friends. What's wrong with having communist friends? But it ain't so. Leo and me? We've been good Americans. We don't... Are you going to stand for this, Cameron? Certainly not. You're a blind fool, Mrs. Bremner. The trouble with poor simpletons like you is that you haven't enough communist friends. You're all alike. You and all the spineless, underfed people like you. You don't know what you want or how to get it. You're suckers. You don't belong in any society, and you have the nerve to tell us how to run things. Well, I... I don't understand. You were my friend. You never spoke to me this way. Troublesome, isn't she, Comrade Samish? No trouble than she's worth. Sometimes I doubt whether these little people, these downtrodden masses are worth all the bother. Our superiors on the control commission would be interested in that statement. Well, I mean it. They just... What do you mean? I mean that you've talked too much for your own good, or the good of the party. What? You're attitude toward Mrs. Bremner is detrimental to our work, and your comment about the masses is downright disloyal. You don't intend to report me, do you? It's my duty as a sincere party worker. But you... you can't, Comrade. You know how hard I work. You know how I... As far as I'm concerned, you've bungled this entire Bremner assignment. Oh, now, Comrade, I have made a few mistakes, but really... And you've made me responsible for your mistakes. You seem to value your personal welfare far more than the party. No, no, Comrade. Now, really, I hold you responsible only for your advice, your suggestions. My mistakes are my own. Then take my advice and ensure the success of the Bremner assignment once and for all. Enjoy it? How? Sit down. I'll explain. Who Mrs. Bremner didn't know it, but she had helped me needle-samish into a trap. Now that I had him there, I had to use my advantage before I was caught there with him. I wasn't sure which would close first, the trial of Leo Bremner or the trap. And I couldn't wait to place any bets. Bigger, this is red. So far, but it's been a battle. Who's winning? Score's even now, but I need your help. That's what we're here for. Check up on Leo Bremner. If there's no evidence that he's a red, well, it shouldn't be, publish the report in all the papers. If we get the commie element out of this case, the whole red plan will fall apart. Yeah. And I'll give Bremner a chance to be tried for the crime he's accused of. Okay. What's your next step? Samish and I are going to bribe the judge. When I suggested bribery to Samish, he was surprised and pleased. He wished he'd thought of it himself. So I told him to take full credit for it in his report to the control commission. That made him even more enthusiastic. As far as Judge Serrano was concerned, I had checked his record in public office and felt pretty sure that his reaction would be characteristic. Well, of course I'm interested in the money. What normal human being isn't. But is it enough money, Judge Serrano? Enough to free Leo Bremner? Hmm. This offer puts me in a peculiar position. I suppose you know, Samish, that the boner administration wants Bremner convicted. They've made me a similar offer. I assume they have, but I wasn't sure. Now, with this offer of yours, well, I... I don't know. I'd better think this over a bit. We'll have your answer tomorrow. But when the wide double doors to the courtroom opened, Samish and I were there to seat ourselves among the spectators. From our seats near the back of the room, we could catch fleeting glimpses of Leo Bremner's face. An old face for a young man, frightened, bitter, tired. Andy Bolan was there too, shaking hands and waving to anyone who happened to brush by him. Maybe it was my own state of mind, but the scene of the trial seemed to bristle with unusual tension and excitement. Judge Serrano took his place at the bench and the formalities were dispensed with quickly. Then the courtroom grew silent as the judge announced that he had a statement to make. Now, this trial has been extremely hard on everyone concerned. The constant interruptions from the spectators attended to confuse the jury with a relevant testimony, and now I must confess that I've been tempted with bribery. Last night, a man named Samish, Herbert Samish, tried to bribe me to favor the defense, and earlier, the Andrew Bolan Administration offered me money to favor the prosecution. Order, please! Order! In this atmosphere of corruption, it's impossible to weigh evidence objectively, and it's most difficult to bring justice to the people when the people are represented by corrupt officials. The proceedings in this court have been a travesty of justice. It behoves me to declare them a mistrial. A mistrial. The only honest way to treat this vile dishonest situation. Judge Serrano, an honest man, had stayed in character just as I'd hoped he would. In all the confusion, I didn't see Comrade Samish leave the courtroom. In fact, I never saw him again. For he was held fully responsible for the downfall of this commie project. As for Andy Bolan, he stopped me in the corridor outside the chaotic courtroom. Well, well, congratulations, Severic. Nice work. Why congratulate me, Bolan. Don't kid me. You were behind that job. You got the right kind of mind, kiddo. I'd give you a job with me in a minute, but it looks like I'm through. That judge fixed me for keeps. Yes, I guess he did. But I'll be around. Look, I operate pretty much like the commies. Maybe you and me can get together and something else real soon. Maybe, Bolan, but I doubt it. Red treachery, dirty politics, and an honest manly in one. As for Leo Bremner, well, the FBI cleared him of the taint of communism, but his second trial, an honest one, convicted him of second-degree murder. The sentence was lenient but just. Quietly, fervently, secretly, I thank the Lord for putting more judged serranos in America than Andy Bolan's or Herbert Samish's. Can I vow that until I could walk once more among honest men, I'd prefer to walk alone? Dana Andrews will return in just a moment. This is Dana Andrews with a reminder that freedom is like a faithful clock. It must be wound and rewound regularly, or it just stops ticking. In the story you just heard, names, dates, and places are fictitious to protect innocent persons. Many of these stories are based on incidents in the life of Matt Severick, who worked undercover for the FBI. Next week, another fantastic adventure. Join us then, won't you?