 This is C.P. McGregor speaking and welcoming you to another performance of Proudly We Hail your War Department program Through the courtesy of the Hollywood Coordinating Committee. We present mr. Vincent Price the star of our play 7900 Empire State Written by Richard Hall with music by Eddie Skravanik and a business as a private investigator and you get phone calls and each one is like a box of Crackerjack with a surprise inside At least that's what Hilary Thorn was thinking as he got off the elevator on the 79th floor of the Empire State Building and Walked to the office's mark 7900 is mr. Devere in I'm Hilary Thorn. Oh, yeah, she's waiting for you this way, please Oh, thanks Mr. Devere, mr. Thorn is here. Oh, yeah, mr. Thorn sit down. Won't you? Oh, thanks, mr. Devere So hey, this is some office you've got here. Thank you I must say it was very kind of you to answer my telephone calls so quickly if I didn't do that mr. Devere, there'd soon be a for rent sign on my place over on 56th Street. What can I do for you? I own a very valuable diamond the Jota diamond. You may have heard of it. No, I haven't I guess I don't get around enough Well, I thought you might have heard some of the stories told about it At any rate Thorn, I want to move the Jota diamond from the bank fall to my home I see and you called me because you want to make sure it gets there exactly You see the Jota is very heavily insured to answer the insurance requirements and to protect myself I must exercise reasonable precaution whenever the stone is moved. You think that I'm reasonable enough precaution mr. Devere, I know your reputation. All right, mr. Well, I meet you the security bank on Park Avenue tomorrow morning at 10. Good enough They by the way, uh, what are the stories they tell about the Jota time? It has been said that there's a curse on the time Great danger to everyone who possesses it. You sort of living on borrowed time. Aren't you mr. Devere? Of course, I will understand that I do not possess the Jota diamond. I'm merely owner Matter of fact, I'd like to sell it. Interesting. No, I don't think so mr. Devere, but thanks for the compliment. I'll see you at the bank at 10 Devere? Well, hello, Thorne. We're all ready to go. You have the diamond? Yes. Oh, uh, this is mr. Andrews of the insurance company. How do you do mr. Thorne? I've heard and read a great deal about you. Thanks You're here is a little precautionary measure yourself. I take it. Well, yes, but actually I don't think it'll be necessary for me To make the trip to the house. You don't think so Andrews? If all I hear about mr. Thorne is true Say I should hire you to write my publicity Yeah, that's a good buy. Good. Bye. I have a cab right over here, mr. Devere. Oh Wait a minute, Thorne. There's a man standing beside the cab. Oh, him? Oh, that's just my assistant Dooley Edwards Dooley, this is mr. Devere. I glad to know you mr. Devere. Oh, thank you Say haven't I met you somewhere before? You couldn't prove it by me No Well, well, uh, shall we go? Yes What's the address mr. Devere? 4720 Westmoreland long on And the boss was telling me about the curse on that diamond he was mr. Devere. He was yeah dangerous to own it Huh, that's really something just a legend. That's a lot of nonsense. He's driver Take it easy up there dryer Gosh, you know, maybe there's something to that curse business. No, don't he is just a legend. That's a lot of nonsense Thank you gentlemen That was really a very uneventful trip. Yeah Say mr. Devere could we maybe take a look at the diamond before we go? What? Well, yes, of course. Oh Boy, there it is. What do you think of it? Jesus? That's some rock. Yeah some rock Could I hold it a minute mr. Devere? Why of course here? Gosh, this will be something to tell my grandchildren. All right Dooley put it back in the box Must I? Well, thanks again for it. I'm very glad to have the diamonds safely home glad to help you mr. Devere. Come on Dooley Dooley, how about it? Boss that diamond's a phony. You sure I didn't grade diamonds for five years for nothing. I know How do you like that? Well, I don't know what Devere is up to but if he's up to what I think he's up to the insurance company will pay a Hatful for this little bit of information We paused briefly from our story 7900 Empire State Building starring Vincent Price to bring you an important message for mr. John R. Nichols Dean of the University of Idaho Southern Branch who recently stated The present Army recruiting campaign is emphasizing the educational benefits available to young men in the new regular army These benefits should appeal especially to high school seniors for several reasons First under the extended GI Bill of Rights a young man may enlist for a three-year period and upon discharge Be entitled to 48 months of college or university training all at government expense Second during his army service the young soldier may accelerate his college education by taking courses through the United States Armed Forces Institute schools throughout the country allow credit for this type of study Colleges and universities all over the country are overcrowded Do not belong before all the accredited schools will be filled a capacity However, when those who volunteer now for service in the regular army returned to civilian life The nation's educational facilities which are being expanded will be able to take care of all who can qualify As an educator and as a form of private in the army I am happy to endorse these outstanding benefits of service in the new regular army You may obtain complete information about your educational Opportunities in the new regular army at your nearest army recruiting station And now act two of our story 7900 Empire State starring Vincent Price as Hilary Thorn Hilary Thorn sat tight on his important bit of information Waiting and he didn't have to wait long Hey, do Lee, where are you do Lee? What's up, boss? What's up? Don't you read the papers? Well, it's happened get this In one of the most spectacular robberies of recent years Burglars broke into the home of mr. Albert Devere last night and stole the famous Joda diamond. Yeah Devere framed it do Lee and he doesn't know it, but he also framed himself Now we got to move fast. Okay, boss tail Devere and don't lose it right and call me here in an hour. Where are you going me? I'm going to make a certain insurance company very happy Well, well come in mr. Thorne. Oh, thank you. I guess you heard about the Joda diamond Yeah, it was quite a thing wasn't it my company of course is extremely upset needless to say it was a very valuable store However, I prefer to think the criminals will be apprehended Would you be interested in working on this mr. Thorne? I have been working on it mr. Andrews, and I have it all worked out This is hardly the time for jokes mr. Thorne. I'm serious Mr. Andrews, what would you say if I told you the diamond I delivered to Devere's home the other day was not the Joda diamond But a cheap imitation. Why that's incredible incredible, but true. How do you know Devere made a mistake? He showed the diamond to my assistant the day we took it out to the house My assistant graded diamonds for five years That's incredible I've known the man so long and I saw him take the diamond from the vault at the bank Well, mr. Thorne, I can't tell you how grateful I am and if what you tell me is true This information will be very worth your while Devere, this is Andrews. We're in trouble. Did you show the diamond to Thorne the other day? Yes, but I'll be over at your office in 10 minutes Well, what's happened? Please smoke our Devere and Andrews still there. Yeah, I'm waiting for them Well, don't wait any longer. They may get lost get out to the airport before they do call lieutenant Donovan down at headquarters Tell him what you know tell him you need help. We've got to stop them there hurry The Empire State Building as fast as you can make it Mr. Dooley Edward, hello Yeah, boss, I hope you've enjoyed our proudly we hail story starring Vincent Price Before leaving you, I'm pleased to present major general Anthony C. McAuliffe Army secretary of the Joint Research and Development Board who is an important message for all of us general McAuliffe To date your new regular army is composed of more men than I've ever before Voluntarily joined any army at any one time any place in the world However, our needs are for increasing numbers of volunteers so as to achieve an established strength of 1,000,070,000 men by July 1947 in order to maintain an army force of this size an Estimated replenishment of 35 to 40,000 new volunteers and re-enlistees each month Will be required to replace those who for one reason or another are separated from the service This is a need which must be met The army volunteer recruiting program has two major objectives First to meet the increasing need for large numbers of already technically trained men and secondly To acquire alert highly intelligent young men capable of being trained to handle equipment and material of the new regular army Principal reasons for joining the new regular army as stated by volunteers themselves Include a high take-home pay in the army compared to civilian jobs, especially since the passage of the new pay bill The new monthly pay for a private is seventy five dollars cash Up to one hundred sixty five dollars for a master or first sergeant in addition to free clothing food lodging medical and dental care 20% increase in pay for overseas service 50% increase for flying or glider crew members 5% increase for each three years of service and liberal retirement privileges There are also army trade and technical training facilities a chance to travel the choice of an 18 month Two or three year enlistment with three year enlistees allowed their choice of branch of service or overseas overseas theater wherever possible Before making a final decision about the future I urge every young man between 17 and 34 to investigate the facts about the many fine Opportunities that await you in America's new regular army Thank You general McCullough. Our thanks also to mr. Vincent Price for appearing on this program Proudly we hail will come to you again over this station next week. Listen in