 Family Theater presents Raymond Burr and Bill Williams. Hollywood, the mutual network in cooperation with Family Theater, presents The Snare of the Fowler, starring Raymond Burr, and now here is your host, Bill Williams. Thank you, Tony Lafreno. Family Theater's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives if we are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world. Family Theater urges you to pray. Pray together as a family. Now to our transcribed drama, The Snare of the Fowler, starring Raymond Burr as General George Washington. By the fall of 1777, the Continental Army seemed on the verge of collapse and the cause of American independence all but lost. Congress had fled Philadelphia to escape the British. The desertion of colonial troops mounted by the hour, winter was coming on. It's the morning of October 15th and in his headquarters at White Marsh, General Washington is laying plans for the evacuation of his army to a place called Valley Forge. Then Colonel, we will withdraw Morgan's rangers along this line, I believe. A suggestion, sir. By all means. Since we've been searching for a maneuver that might cover the advance on Philadelphia, could that detachment be used near Matson's fort? Uh, come in. Your Excellency. Yes, John? There is a lady waiting to see you, sir. A lady? She claims acquaintance with you and insists the matter is urgent. Did she give her name? Mrs. Elizabeth Graham Ferguson. Of Philadelphia? Yes, sir. I know her well. Show her in, John. General, sir. Yes, Colonel. You're pardoned, but might this woman be in a relation to the Henry Ferguson, who's been one of the civilian attendants to General Howe since the British marched into Philadelphia? I believe she's his wife. Then do you deem it wife? I have full faith in any friend of Reverend Duchess. It was he who introduced us. The former chaplain of Congress? That is the man. Forgive me, sir. I'm sure, in, John. Yes, Your Excellency. General, we'll see you, Mrs. Ferguson. Thank you, sir. General Washington. My lady, we are honored. Allow me, Colonel Alexander Hamilton. Delighted. Mrs. Ferguson? Oh, do sit down, madam. I suppose I'm interrupting something very serious. Serious? Perhaps if not thus far altogether successful. I know. And now, how can I be of service to you? It concerns the serious undertaking of which you just spoke, the armed rebellion. Most colonists have come to speak of it as the war for independence, Mrs. Ferguson. I bring with me a letter from our mutual friend, Reverend Jacob Duchess. How is the chaplain? Quite well. He, he asked me to deliver this to you personally. Thank you. And, and to report your reaction. General Washington, sir, if you would prefer to continue this discussion along now. No, no, Colonel. Stay here. I cannot believe this. The Reverend implored me to see that you finish the letter. There will be no need to finish it, madam, nor for you to remain longer. I beg of you. His intent is as clear as it is infamous. Is the avoidance of more useless bloodshed infamous? To receive a letter like this. Best facts, General Washington. From a man who less than three years ago stirred the heart of every delegate in Congress. Read what this says. Resin the Declaration of Independence. Negotiate with the British. It is the only course left to you. Colonel Hamilton. Yes, sir. Show this lady out. A General Washington. Good day, Mrs. Ferguson. Good day. What have happened to Duchess? The same as has happened to others. Selfish fear. No, no, not the shea. Good intentions misguided, then. Perhaps. May I see that letter, sir? Yes, you may see it. Hamilton, what are we coming to? A pretty pass, with the author of this and a judge. Must be sent immediately to Congress. To Congress? If I were killed or captured with that document, it might seem evidence of a conspiracy with Duchess against America. You've not read it closely enough. All right. Well, there's more than a little truth here, General. Painful truth to some congressional delegates I could think of and their protégé generals. What are you talking about? Well, this paragraph, for example. The whole world knows that your army's existence depends upon you. Rubbish. That your death or captivity disperses it in a moment. That there is not a man on your side of the question in America capable of succeeding him. That is as treasonous as the rest of it. Come in. An urgent dispatch from General Clinton, sir. Thank you, John. Has it some reference to the campaign in the north? It seems to. That will be all, John. Yes, sir. Hamilton, this confirms the rumors. General Gates has won an astounding victory. Burgoyne has surrendered at Saratoga, turned over his entire force. When, sir? Three days ago, the captives are being marched to Massachusetts Bay. This slams the northern gate and the British moving down from Canada and changes entirely the outlook on the Hudson. Yes. There can be no doubting the authenticity of this dispatch or the importance of the victory, but... But why has it taken three days for the news to reach us? I confess that... And why has the confirmation of the surrender come to us indirectly and not from Gates himself? But that should be no puzzle. Colonel... I think I have fully expressed myself on the subject of General Gates. You have indeed, and I wish to hear no more of it. Very well, sir, but more of it is in the wind. And this latest slight to your authority is simply one more link in the chain of evidence that Gates aspires to replace you as commander-in-chief. Please welcome to the post. It would be a disaster and you know it. I know that one man is not a cause, nor one general, an army. And I say it is not this cause that General Gates seeks to advance, but merely his own petty ambition. That will do, Hamilton. I... I do not delude myself that Gates is without ambition, but in a soldier I cannot count that as a curse. There is ambition and ambition. Are you unaware that I am ambitious? Well, to do something for the colon is general. Not simply to be something at the head of the parade. Oh, you flatter me, Hamilton. You, sir, flatter Gates that his motives are your own. Perhaps, but until proven otherwise, I shall continue to assume that they are. Now, as to these plans for Valley Forge. Does that complete the canvas of Wainsbury Gate, John? Yes, sir. Those other huts along the West Ridge are occupied by troops of General Green. The army does not exist that can endure under these conditions. Half of them without shoes or blankets. All of them without watchcoats. Surely, sir, you're a last appeal to Congress for some time. Congress? I ask for food and clothing, and they offer to send me an inspector general instead. Is that the general Conway who was expected tonight, sir? Yes, former French officer. He served under Sullivan at Brandywine from all reports did brilliantly. Well, then you're acquainted with him, sir. It's lightly very witty gentlemen, continental manners, and not precisely disappointed in himself. I hope he finds Valley Forge to his liking. On the contrary, I'm praying it so distresses him that he will act immediately to send us what's needed to put it right. Well, here we are. General Washington. Colonel? Something I must speak to you about, sir. No, we'll go into my quarters. Oh, John. Yes, sir. I want that canvas tallied up to show Conway tonight. Include everything we need. Boots, breeches, straw, fodder, blankets. Yes, sir, I'll have it for you. Well, come in, Colonel. General, something quite serious has come to my attention. And to mine. Have you seen the figures and our clothing requirements? No, sir, I have not. The men are half naked. The men understand your difficulties. There's less complaining than you might think. When Conway arrives, we must impress upon him the hardships our soldiers are facing. Without adequate clothing and supplies, the army will simply dissolve. Your Excellency, it is in regard to General Conway I wish to speak to you. You've requested me to say no more of this. Evident conspiracy, which exists among some congressional delegates and army officers to oust you as commander-in-chief. I've requested you to refrain from using the word conspiracy. I am not ignorant of the dissatisfaction with me in some quarters. But what you may not know, sir, is that the man most active in the plot to install Gates as your successor is none other than this Frenchman Conway. I believe he's Irish, Babers. Sir, this is a serious matter. As is the charge you've just made, Hamilton. I take it... You would like evidence? Then read this. It arrived this afternoon by post from a friend of mine on General Gates' staff. And he quotes from a letter sent to Gates by Conway, a letter which Gates himself is freely circulating. Heaven has determined to save your country. Or a weak general and bad counsellors would have ruined it. A weak general. That is Conway's opinion of you, sir. And you, it would seem, are one of my bad counsellors. Your Excellency, the man's avowed purpose is to bring you down. How can we expect sympathetic consideration from him on our supply needs? We cannot, of course. I must thank you, Hamilton, for calling this to my attention. Oh, you petitioned Congress for his recall? Quite the contrary. When General Conway arrives this evening, Mrs. Washington and I will pay him every formal courtesy his rank and position deserves. But, General, you're playing... For it is neither his sympathy nor consideration that I seek, but his talents as a soldier. And those I am determined to obtain. Are you quite comfortable, General Conway? Indeed, Mother. Mrs. Washington. Sit down, John, and you too, General. I was remarking to Lieutenant Lawrence that even such a simple pleasure as this, sitting before a fire in a drafty farm cabin, has helped shut my mind to the bleak and bitter conditions I noted upon my arrival. They are bleak indeed. Well, a soldier's lot is never an easy one. I can testify to that. But I must confess surprise, Madame, at finding the general's lady in such surroundings. Well, I will be leaving tomorrow, General Conway. This was only a visit to bring my husband some warm clothing. Then you are his personal quartermaster. It seems he needs one. General Conway was just telling me in detail of General Gates' victory over Burgoyne. Yes, it was a remarkable feat of arms. Remarkable. So it must have been. The act of a master tactician. You see, the British had planned to advance along the road... General Conway, sir? Yes, Hamilton. You'll excuse me, ma'am. Of course, Colonel. General Washington is asked to see you, sir. But of course. Will you excuse me, ma'am? Certainly. This way, sir. General Conway. Your Excellency. Please be seated. I apologize for leaving so abruptly after dinner. It is nothing. But Colonel Hamilton and I felt it necessary to review our list of food and clothing requirements before presenting it to you for immediate transmission to Congress. Quite so, sir. You understand, however, that as Inspector General, I must confirm the requirements to my own satisfaction. You need not stand, Colonel. I prefer to, sir. As you wish. You appreciate, Excellency, that I would be performing less than my duty were I to do otherwise. May I ask General Conway how you propose to go about confirming these requirements? By personal inspection, of course. Then you intend to visit every hut and cabin in this encampment to satisfy yourself that the condition of my troops is as desperate as I report it to be. In what other way, Colonel? Of all the impertinence. I beg your pardon, sir. Hamilton, I apologize, Your Excellency. And you will apologize to me, Colonel. Permit me to handle this, General Conway. I can permit no such insubordination from a junior officer. Then will you accept my assurance that Colonel Hamilton's outburst was prompted by what he considers to be an act of insubordination on your part? On my? By your unwillingness to accept my list of supply requirements without first personally confirming it. Sir, I protest. Do you imagine that I have falsified the list? Of course not. I cannot conceive of such a thing. Then why is it your purpose to delay its transmission to Congress? I have no such purpose. Do you realize it would take you upwards of a month to conduct as close a survey of this army as my staff and I have just completed? Be that as it may, sir. And that within that month our already dire needs would grow even more acute? I must observe, General, that were it not for the selection of this impossible campsite, the needs of your troops might be far less dire than you represent them to be. So now we have it. The campsite. It would seem to be chosen at the instance of a speculator or by a council of ignoramuses. General Washington, are you to commit this? Continue, General Conway. I should like to hear the sum of your objections. This is, first of all, indefensible. The watercourses are scarped by bluffs and a line of trenches has fully consolidated the hills and high ground. Now what else? The site is devoid of natural resources. We have an abundant water supply, an ironworks and a sawmill, not to mention a part of the army's reserve of flower, shot and iron utensils, which were stored here months before our arrival. In a like situation, even General Gates might have made this choice. I fail to understand that remark. Forgive me if I doubt you. General, I insist you will clarify your... Before you become too insistent, sir, I shall remind you that I am your superior. May I respectfully request your excellency to clarify the allusion to General Gates. I allude to your strong admiration for him. I respect Gates as a soldier. Somewhat more than you respect me. The comparison has never entered my mind. Has it not? Never. Show him the letter, Hamilton. Sir, it was sent me in confidence. If the identity of its author would have become known to General Gates... I believe we can trust General Conway's discretion on that point. The letter, please. Would your excellency be kind enough to enlighten me as to what... By all means. Be good enough to read this paragraph on the second page. I think you will find itself explanatory. A few days following Burgoyne's surrender and the delivery of the convention terms to Congress, General Gates received a quite flattering letter from General Conway, which read in part, Heaven has determined to save your country, nor a weak general and bad counsellors would have ruined it. This is an abominable lie. You deny writing such a letter? I deny making such a statement. Who has written this filth? A Major McWilliams. So, General Gates will be interested. I advise you to say nothing whatsoever of this to General Gates. And allow such duplicity of conduct to go unpunished? There are those who might accuse you of even greater duplicity in writing the letter at all. I have already denied that I wrote such a letter. It seems to have received wide circulation among Gates' staff. Are you prepared to make your denial public? Gates is a fool. But not so foolish as to be without value to a black-eyed. I am not disposed to trade insults with you, sir. Then I suggest, General, that we trade confidences instead. It is your purpose to see that Gates replaces me as Commander-in-Chief. Is that incorrect? It is inevitable, General. Already he has eclipsed you in the mind of Congress. With your assistance, I gather, as he will in the hearts of the people, when the full details are made public of his masterful defeat of Burgoyne at Saratoga. We will presently come to Burgoyne. Suffice it for the moment to say that you support Gates and oppose me. You would have difficulty in proving that. Just as I would have difficulty in proving, there was an ulterior motive behind any delay you might cause in submitting this list of supply requirements to Congress. Proving that, sir, I believe you would find impossible. General Washington, this man is talking treason. You sentimentalize. You can sit here smiling like a cat and planning at the same time to starve and freeze our army out of existence. Army, a band of feckless ragamuffins. This is no army. Your forces in the north under Gates, those are your sole hope. They have discipline and a spree and a leader worthy of the name. And if the present leader of these ragamuffins were to officially accuse you of conspiring to weaken his forces, you would merely introduce the letter to General Gates as an explanation of his animosity and everything would fall neatly into place. That is roughly the plan, is it not, sir? Your Excellencies' surmises are his own. It is comforting to have a hidden document such as your letter in reserve, is it not? An innocent slip of paper that is nonetheless capable of turning all the tables. Were your Excellency foolish enough to make public the charges against me just mentioned, I confess I would regard the existence of the Gates letters highly providential. Are you aware that the words fool and foolish spring often to your lips, General Conway? I had not noticed. And you noticed, Colonel Hamilton? I have indeed, sir. I would regret, sir, your carrying away the impression that we are a nation of fools. General Washington! And for that reason alone I feel compelled to disclose the existence of another letter, one of my own dated some two months ago. I must confess, I feel to see... Farewell! The letter in question, a copy of which I have in hand, is addressed to a member of the Virginia delegation. The original was posted on the day that the full text of the Burgoyne surrender terms were delivered to me after I believe you personally presented them to Congress. I presented them proudly. Oh, of that I have no doubt. Your Excellency... I will pass over the slight of their being communicated to me indirectly and at that some three days after ratification in the field. Your time was of the essence. Oh, it would seem, sir. Nothing else could justify the blundering assaninity of such surrender terms as agreed to by General Gates and yourself. Assaninity? The word is carefully chosen. Well, I don't for a moment intend to listen further. Can it be that you are still ignorant of the blunder? I admit of no blunder at all. The terms stipulated that Burgoyne's troops were to proceed to Boston once they were to sail for Great Britain under parole not to perform any military duty again in North America during the war. Precisely. And I defy you to produce a legal marksman so clumsiest to overlook the loophole in that. There is no loophole. It gapes, it sure. What provision is there restricting continued active service by these troops in any other part of the world or permitting the garrisons thus relieved to be sent to America to continue the fight against us? That is a mere legalism. Of which the King could take full advantage without violating so much as a word of the agreement. Oh, but let us not waste time. Given this mess, how would you clean it up, General Conway? Supposing you had realized the blunder which clearly you never have. What steps would you take to rectify it? I would require time to review the terms. Well, meantime, the British take full advantage of them. But they have not. Thanks to a weak general, his bad counselors and this letter to a congressional delegate from Virginia dated two months ago. I advise that to compensate for the short-sightedness of the surrender terms, Congress insists that the port of Boston and Boston alone be allowed as the point of embarkation so that with winter coming on and the port effectively ice-locked, we shall be in no danger before spring of Burgoyne's force setting sail for England and being shortly replaced by fresh British troops. I am, sir, your humble servant. Where the date and contents of this letter to be publicly disclosed, it would make Gates a fool and a laughingstock. I have no intention of disclosing it, General. Gates is an excellent officer, superb tactician. I would be hard-pressed to replace him. Who are you? I should have taken Lafayette's word. In what regard? He calls you the supreme strategist. And the marquee is no flatterer. May I have your list of supply requirements, sir? By all means. I will see that it is in the hands of Congress by tomorrow morning. Thank you, sir, for your cooperation. George. Yes, my dear? Do you realize it's past two in the morning? I will retire shortly. There's something I must find. In the Bible? Yes. It is always my last source. Did things go badly with General Conway? Not in the sense I had imagined they would. He's agreed to send the food and supplies you asked for? Oh, indeed. On the double. Well, then what? I'm not certain I can even explain it. But somehow, somehow tonight, Martha, I indulged my pride and vanity to an excess that makes me ashamed. Oh, I cannot believe that. It was a good cause. An excellent cause. I was careful to see to that. The cunning of one's conscience is remarkable. But I crushed a man, crushed him whole. George. While I was doing it, I kept thinking. A phrase I recall kept echoing inside me, something from Psalms. You must not reprimand yourself. Nothing that you do to advance our cause. Yes, our cause. But tonight with Conway I lost complete sight of it for nearly an hour. I wanted simply to beat him, to prove myself his superior and intellect as well as arms. But you are his superior. Tonight, yes. But what of tomorrow? If I waste myself dealing with every petty conspiracy against my own person, there may be no tomorrow for America. There will. We both know that. I've found it. Oh, how right it is. In Psalms? Yes, listen. Chapter two, verse three. I will save the Lord. He is my refuge and my fortress. My God. In him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver me from the snare of the Fowler. And Satan is the Fowler? Just as his snare can be pride and vanity. The devil within myself. The devil in us all. This is Bill Williams again. It was noted in World War II in the Philippines where a large number of Americans were interned in prison camps that the adults lost weight and sometimes became greatly weakened. But that the children seemed to get along all right and to have enough food. One reason for this it was discovered was that the parents were going without theirs so that their children might have more. This is one of the finer traits of human nature, the concern of parents for their children. Yet so common, so happily common, that we take it for granted. But sometimes it occurs to us in a flash of enlightenment that there is another kind of nourishment besides material food for their little buddies. And this we know on the authority of one who declares that man does not live by bread alone. And then we realize that concern for our families, if it's going to be thorough, should include some spiritual nutriment as well. And for the whole family. One way of securing this is the way family theater suggests each week. Daily family prayer, the investment so to call it, of a quarter of an hour or even just ten minutes each in which the busy life of the family halts and its members lift their minds and hearts to the divine author of all life. Family theater tells us that all of human history confirms that the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood Family Theater has brought you transcribed The Snare of the Fowler, starring Raymond Bird. Bill Williams was your host. Others in our cast were Lawrence Dubkin, Sam Edwards, Gene Bates, Irene Tedrow and Edgar Berrier. The script was written and directed for Family Theater by John T. Kelly with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman. This series of Family Theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program. By the mutual network which has responded to this need. And by the hundreds of stars of state screen and radio who give so unselfishly of their time and talent to appear on our Family Theater stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony Lafranco expressing the wish of Family Theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to be with us next week when Family Theater will present Mr. Harrison and the Lady Racketeer, starring Harold Perry. John Lund will be your host. Join us, won't you? Family Theater is broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is Mutual, the radio network for all America.