 Words at war Give a signal to the enemy here. This will teach you your swine Stop it. Stop it. You fool you kill him. What's wrong with that? He's a traitor He's set fire to the haystack look at shape like an arrow and points to the factory If you kill him now, how are we going to find out who his accomplices are in this stout? Why couldn't you have shot him in the leg you fool? Why don't you use your brain? I I was only trying to do my duty. I saw never mind what you saw. Let's get him to hospital immediately There they come They saw the signal to be back tomorrow night And then it'll be all over for us. Let's get to here bomber at once National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with the council on books and wartime Presents another of the most widely discussed programs in America words at war Dramatizing the most representative books to come out of this great world conflict tonight Albert Molz's new novel about Germany the cross and the arrow Dramatized for radio by Ben Kagan Hey, Obama, I'm commissar care Gestapo. Yes, come in commissar. I've been expecting you And now I'll give you the background of the case. We make medium tanks here and turn them out like rolls We used to be in Dusseldorf, but the bombings got too hot. So we'll move seven months ago As you'll see tomorrow. We're situated in the wood all around us is farming community our Comouflage people have done a first-rate job in eight months There've been British planes over here, but always after another objective But tonight our worker here tried to signal the plane. Oh, my dear Commissar, I have no intention of keeping it a secret from you on the east edge of the factory There's a farm the owner is a widow for our link Her hay is recently been cut the saboteur named vagler pile a in an arrow pointing toward the factory And the planes came over he touched it off It so happens our SS men were close by on patrol the woman link yelled We got there in time to douse the fire before it burned too long Do you think the British planes spotted the fire? I don't know, but we have to act on that possibility Naturally, we'll take all protective measures, but meanwhile if they didn't see the arrow There's danger that the scum working with vagler will try again. That's why you're here Do you know for a fact that the saboteur is part of a group? No, I assume it was there anyone with him tonight Not that we know you've examined him. He's in the hospital with a bullock in his gut Who knows if he'll ever be able to talk to him bad Well, I want vagler's record, of course in the record of every friend of his in the factory What about the farm woman she and vagler were going to be married That's how vagler came to be on her farm in the first place woman who betrayed him. Yes What reason I haven't talked to her there hasn't been time besides she was hysterical She ought to be ready for questioning now good by the way When do you suppose you're able to talk to vagler? I don't know. He's still unconscious I've left instructions with dr. Soda at the hospital Let me know as soon as he comes out of the anesthetic It seems the doctor isn't sure yet whether vagler will live Do you know of any reason why vagler would have wanted to see the factory destroyed by the British? Is there any personal motivation? None as a matter of fact only yesterday He was awarded a medal for being the best type of German worker and he had ever reason for hating the British His wife was killed in an air raid and his son died in the Battle of Norfolk. I see all right here bummer and I shall proceed at once Nurse nurse what is vagler's temperature now 99 dr. Soda up a few points Take his pulse every half hour nurse really now as though every hour weren't enough damn it woman Will you do as I say we must bring him out of the ether quickly? Yes, sir It's not that I mind only I don't like to see you lose your calm A doctor should be calm What happens to a patient when a doctor isn't calm? He dies. He dies. He's buried in the worms enjoy him sooner We'll happen to you nurse now every half hour Remember I want you to call me at once if his pulse goes higher than a hundred and one. Yes, sir The drip infusion is to continue. You might be putting some wet gauze on his lips. Yes, very well Now you take care of him properly. You must be in condition to talk by morning What will happen? I'm waking up. I've been asleep No, no, I've been sick pain in my belly. I remember now The elite guard the flash of moonlight on the rifle barrel. I Must be in the factory hospital. I'm wounded and trapped As soon as they find out I'm conscious. They'll be after me to talk Bauma will come We'll want to know who my accomplices were We'll want to know why I signaled the British planes They will force me to talk There is a solution. I must kill myself quickly The only thing I have to do is rip off the bandage But then How will I know how will I know if the British planes are the arrow? I Must know I Must remain alive Well nurse he hasn't stirred Pulse 105 no septicemia peculiar very peculiar could it be a cranial injury doctor I don't see any signs of it, but I don't quite understand this extended unconsciousness Look at him. He lies there like a log doesn't even stir Nurse I want you to look at him every 15 minutes and call me the instant he comes to So they think I have a skull injury good The only thing I have to do is lie like a log as the doctor expressed it If only the throbbing in the belly would stop It will be hard this way No mistake about that But it must be done Not a sound shall escape from my lips not a sound Dear God make the British planes come Make them come tonight Help me think of something. I must not give in to this pain Proudling come in sit down You have my deepest admiration what you did tonight earns the gratitude of every German my name is commissar care What about the man vaguer commissar? He's in the hospital here. He's all right. They operated. We don't know yet What will happen if he gets well? He'll be executed for treason, of course Very good still it must be hard on you on me Why should I care we're going to be married weren't you I? No such thing a complete mistake sir to him. I See Well, tell me what happened tonight Well, I was in bed Something woke me up. I don't know what then I saw him through the window running in the field So I yelled to him the window was open, but he didn't stop I could see that he was doing something with the hay, but I didn't know what I Ran outside he wouldn't talk to me and when I tried to stop him. He knocked me down Then when he began to pour the kerosene on the hay I understood what he was doing I Saw the way at the hay piled I mean I ran toward the fire and yelled he ran after me with a pitchfork He wanted to kill me That's all nothing more that you can think of anything he ever said that would be a clue No, oh you haven't been frank with me. I think I know why a Simple honest woman like you the Gestapo Commissar seems a strange man. You mustn't be afraid. I the Gestapo Commissar I'm relying on you to help me You know vaguely and you can tell me about him. You're going to be married to him. No, I told you before He was an acquaintance very good. You want me to consider your link with a trader very good. I will Some reason you're denying what everybody knows if you knew vaguely that you were lovers that you intended to be married Oh, goodness sake woman was you called the guards and save the factory. Why are you lying now? Perhaps I'll have to be two customers for the axe Max isn't particular. You know the head rolls into the basket just the same Out with it woman and I want the truth I was so afraid I didn't know what might happen to me nothing will happen to you I Was going to marry him. He was at my house tonight Then he left I thought to go home to the barracks I went to my room then I saw him like I told you the rest is just how I say why did he do it? That's what I want to know why He told me he was going to do something Something important. He said I asked him what but he wouldn't tell he said we were both guilty because of the pole guilty What does that mean? That's what he said It sounds crazy to me. Who's the pole on my farm a prisoner. He works for me now. I bought him vaguely was mixed up with the pole Hey, no, we couldn't have been I've only had the polls since two nights ago. There was no time Oh in that case. Why did he say he was guilty? That's what I don't know I've been thinking all night. I think he was crazy. Yes Why do you think so to do a thing like that? He had no reason. How do you know we had no reason? Oh, he was always patriotic. You suspected nothing. He never said anything. You think I wouldn't have reported the slightest thing Did he ever criticize the party leaders? Oh, no, no, sir You mean he didn't even criticize labor front leader bowmer vagler wanted to work on your farm, didn't he? What did he say when he was refused permission? He hardly ever spoke of it He just told me that he was called for the army. Oh, he didn't want to go to the army surely He's no youngster. He only told me tonight. I Don't know what he felt he was just talking crazy. Like I said, so you think vagler was crazy and that's why he set off the signal He had no accomplices. Yes, sir. He must have been crazy to do a thing like that. That's the only explanation. I know No, I want you to wake him. I'm sorry It's this way balma. I might give him a strict an injection But it might but just listen a moment, please. I promise you I'll do as you say but listen to the facts first The strict man might bring him to consciousness, but it might also kill him I'll take it but he might die before he's had a chance to talk Still unconscious doctor Incredible Well, we'll try the well, it won't do any good doctor. I'm going to die tonight not before You won't get anything out of me Go ask fouling. She'll tell you fouling my betrothed Who betrayed me Not for her the arrow of burning hay would have blazed up and hampered. I don't hate better thing She was a good woman She loved me curious how we first met so you're awake at last now get out of my house and quicker I'll call the police Well, are you going if you please? How did I get you're broken like a robber? That's how broke in I suppose you don't remember I Didn't mean it. I was drunk my mind's a blank. Oh Yes, I know you men pigs every one please. I'm so sorry. I'll leave right away Only tell me where I am in my farmhouse. That's where you're from the factory I suppose the factory's down the road the pity you couldn't land there where you belong instead of coming here and breaking things like a Madman breaking things. What could I break there the glass? Oh, well, don't worry. I'll pay you for it And the dog will you pay me for him too? What do you mean my dog that you killed last night? I How did I kill him? How should I know how you killed him? You did then you came into my kitchen and broke the glass and spread yourself out on the floor and slept your all night I'll pay of course. I'll pay. I'm an honest man. You say I killed your dog I'll make good next day. I went back to the farmhouse and paid Then I went to her farm again We talked Where do you come from here vaguely the doodled off? Ah Doodled off You have a family I suppose. No, I had a boy and a wife howling My boy died at the attack on Navik My wife was killed in a bombing Now I'm alone. Ah I hate the war too The war killed my husband It's two years now, and it's almost a year that they took my son Rudy It was only 17 when I was 17. I was in the last war You're a fine man here vaguely But why do you have to drink like a pig? Why do you turn yourself into such a beast? I I Never drank before I Don't like to get drunk even now it's just that See it's lonely in the factory and when I think of my wife, I can't stand to think of my wife I See her lying on the ground with her face all cut up her arms cut off Body looking like some butcher and dug his night into it Makes me want to kill somebody I Understand here Vega I Understand Pulse a hundred and one doctor Do you think we'll really have an air raid tonight? I don't know it's possible Bomber tells me they have already begun to build fortifications and some guns are coming in this morning So range, please. Yes, I can see them from here Because if the whole factory is out there digging Here you are doctor. I must hold still mustn't move Think of something else That night in front of the farmhouse when better than I discussed our coming marriage What a night Smell the air Willy. Yes, it's beautiful Listen to me better. I want to tell you something. I am listening Let's get married There you go again. I told you we must get permission from my son Rudy Legally he owns this farm and he must approve what if he says no Anyway, it's crazy for two grown-up people to ask a boy of 18 for permission to marry He won't say no, then why don't we get married now that I can't do really after all my own son In decency. I have to let him know beforehand I've just explained the law to you. We are hereditary peasants. I understand the law But what if your boy does say no he won't I promise you don't answer me better I say let's get married. You think I need this form to support you. I don't You like a phonograph record Good night my phonograph record I'm going to sleep now and you'd better go to sleep too and stop worrying over your stupid worries. Whatever they are worry Why who worries you do that's no use lying to me. I Wish you could get another job That terrible hammer you work with all day. It's enough to drive a man crazy You know better. I've started thinking the same thing myself. I I don't like the hammer so much anymore It seems harder now. Well, never mind Willie Soon we'll get married, won't we and then you'll come and live on the farm That's what I was thinking For another little while better. I guess I can't stick it out and then he came home a son Rudy Yes, mama So wonderful me Certainly was especially this champagne. You certainly got a lot of nice things in France, Rudy Rudy said he picked them up for practically nothing You know who had it lucky the first soldier that went into France used to spread butter on candy bars They told me stores are half cleaned out by the time I ride how rich those French's must have been rich and fat and stupid French always use the boast of their culture What culture are no more than barbarians have their minds on good living and money But this champagne they make it Some stuff. Hey, will it Rudy your mother has written to you. We We want to get married. I assure you Now you want to get married. Hey, Willie Well, well, well, Rudy, please say yes now you're leaving tonight. Yes, I'm leaving tonight leaving my farm You're glad get married. Well, I care likely send me to the front and I get killed. Oh, no, it don't say things like that But listen, I want one thing understood. I Run the farm what I say go absolutely. I give you my hand Oh, isn't it wonderful Willie now you'll be able to leave your job in the factory and come to work on the farm What you wanted all your life Willie. Oh, I can hardly believe it Better better wake up. I have to talk to you. Oh What's the matter? Did anything happen to Rudy? No, no, he took the train better. Everything's turned rotten. You and I We want to make a good life together. Yes I used to think we could live on this farm like like it was an island away from everybody And now we can't why what happened to tonight. We had a celebration So it's so nice to drink champagne before decent cigarettes and Rudy your son brought you presents perfume night gowns Sweater and what if I'll tell you how Rudy got them better as Rudy told me when he was drunk As she was a rich French woman who he said she lived outside a small town She had an estate with a large farm the day before the trucks were to come and take away the grain She burned down the farm. So Rudy was sent with the others to arrest her They didn't wait for anyone to open the door. They broke it down Woman ran out of bed at her nightgown a pink one like the one you're wearing Then Rudy's corporal who was in charge told the woman she was under arrest He didn't say anything Only she asked the corporal if she could have a few minutes to get dressed He told her yes, then when she went into her room the corporal called the men together Listen, he said this is how Rudy told me that woman is going to be shot this morning Why should we let her go to her death? I'm happy you suffer yourself. She's all right Where we have some fun with her so they all lined up stop it stop it then before they took her away The soldiers went to her closet the corporal told them help yourselves boys So that's how a German mother got a fine sweater and two nightgowns in a bottle of perfume What do you want me to say Willie? It isn't women who make war don't understand belt It's not just war itself But Rudy wasn't ashamed Rudy was proud Rudy was proud Listen to me better. There's rottenness here When Rudy was telling me his story laughing the way he did I wanted to kill him this rottenness. I won't live with I won't live with it I'm a decent man Your name is Baronsky. Yes, sir Stefan Bironsky now then Baronsky you have any knowledge of vageless motivation for setting that fire Did they have any Confederates that you know about did you see anyone with him? No, sir He himself alone came to the bar and talked to me vageless spoke to you. What about? He wanted me to escape sir But I wouldn't you're lying. No, sir. I swear it. He came to me in the barn go on. He He spoke to me through the little window First he gave me a cigarette, but I told him it was forbidden to for me to smoke then he He said he would write a letter for me to my home, but I said it was forbidden, sir come to the escape. Yes, sir then he Said he would break open the barn doors for me any night He said he would bring me clothes and and some money and his own police card, sir So why didn't you escape? It's forbidden to escape sir. I see and did he tell you why he wanted to do all this for you. No, sir Just that he wanted To help me sir. Did you know him someplace before? No, sir. Did he ever speak to you before two nights ago? No, sir. Why did he want to help you then for your good looks? I don't know sir. You don't know now. Of course. You don't know. He was crazy. That's why crazy as a bed bug Try to tell you better. I tried Really, it's all arranged. I've written to the labor front leader in your factory and in a few days You'll be transferred to the farm Well darling, don't you have anything to say better? Who is in the barn in the barn? Why a pole of course is to work for me 17 marks How can you how can you even say it you bought a man about that you paid money for a human being But these are prisoners besides. I'm a farmer Willie. You're not if I don't meet my quotas They'll take away my farm you want that I want I Want you to take back the pole take him back. Are you crazy Willie? I already paid for him Should I return the pole and let my head rock? Yes. Yes. Oh sure how easy it is for you to talk It isn't your farm. What do you care? But I do care better darling take the pole back. Please. I beg you I'll work for you at night on Sundays when I'm transferred better listen to me. Listen to me This is your responsibility to we're to be married or a member and I'm not to blame for the war. I didn't start it No, I don't really blame you better You just didn't understand When you betrayed me You were only doing something that's been bred into you Well Willie what did the labor front leader say when can we get married better? Have not to be transferred to the farm. You're not a Well in a few months maybe better. They've called me for the army. Oh Never mind the war will end soon Better I'm not going to their army. I have something to do. What do you have to do? What are you talking about? I have something to do a deed you don't make sense Willie It's like I mean what Rudy did you see I'm guilty too. It's like I brought you the sweater myself I've been part of it. I make tanks and you've been part of it too with a farm in the pole We're all guilty. I think you're drunk. We're swine better They've turned us all into swine Now they want me to volunteer for the army More war they want more killings and more sweaters and more people to sell in the village at 17 marks. I Won't do it. I stopped here right now. I stopped Somebody has to say no to them. Well, what do you do better? Will you help me? Oh? You're crazy. Oh, you're tired What are you doing? What are you doing with a kerosene? Willie come back here. Will a wonder what time it is It's dark Soon they'll come your god. Let them come Don't let them go anyplace else It must be here tonight What's all the excitement? Oh, they finally found out who set off the fire It was the pole who worked on the woman's farm and he's being executed. He confessed. Oh, I heard it was being learned Well, confidentially, I heard it too But how would it look for the morale of the factory if they told us beggar did it? Yes That makes sense. Of course So now they're executing the pole and the whole incident will soon be forgotten unless the British planes saw the signal Yeah, that would be too bad Well, let's go watch the fun, huh? They're here. All this will be wiped out My signal was seen Now the only thing I have to do is rip off the bandage It will be all over my deed has been accomplished Maybe there will be others Others who will follow but we've brought you Albert Maltz's novel the cross and the arrow adapted for radio by Ben Kagan the cast included Louis van Rooton as hair vagler Dorothy Francis as Frowling Ed Begley as commissar care and Reese Taylor as hair bomber The music was arranged and played by William Meadier production Garnet Garrison Next week words at war will present the radio dramatization of the scapegoats of history based upon a YMCA pamphlet by Kenneth M. Gould and the history of bigotry in the US by Gustavus Myers This series of programs is brought to you in cooperation with the council on books in wartime by the national Broadcasting company and the independent radio stations associated with the NBC network Jack Costello speaking. This is the national broadcasting company