 The National Broadcasting Company presents COUNTER SPY Harding COUNTER SPY Calling Washington These COUNTER SPY reports to the American people are brought to you each week at this time. At the end of today's broadcast, you will hear an in-person report from an outstanding undercover counter espionage agent for the U.S. government, Angela Calamiras. Now, the case of the pretty plant. Music You made nice time through this New York traffic, Sam. Now, wait here, please. Hi. Good evening, madam. Are you the landlady? I own the house, but I guess you'd say I'm the landlady. My name is Peters. My credentials? Can't see without my glasses. If you wait just a minute. Well, never mind. I'm a United States counterspire. Mister, you could be the president. I still haven't got a vacancy. Not even the top floor rear $6 a week bath on the fifth floor sheets changed every week. I don't want a room, madam. You have a boarder named Scuba. Can you tell me what room he's in? Oh, Mr. Scuba. Never had a better paying tenant in 22 years. No, 23. Come in. Thank you. He's got the second floor parlor front. $12 a week bath with towels twice a week. Well, you don't have to go up, madam. If you'll just tell me which... You have to go up to the third floor anyway. Miss Tilling has got a leak again. Watch the bottom step. Carpet's torn. Yes. Well done. I've got to go so slow. But my heart's not what it used to be. No. Uh, yes. Oh, landing. Good rule always to take a rest on each landing. Adds years to your life. Uh, Mr. Scuba's room... This one right here. Oh. I'm sure he's in. Funny. Excuse me. Just a second. Miss John Scuba? Sure, that's him. Only I never would have dreamed he'd go to sleep all dressed. He's not asleep. He's dead. Countess by New York Field Office. Hello, Miss Morgan. This is Peters. Mr. Harding, get in from Washington yet? About five minutes ago, Mr. Peters. Just a second. Hello, Peters. Scuba's been strangled and the document's not in his room. What do you make of it? Chief, I was in Oklahoma City this afternoon. I got your wire to come here, grab this fellow and meet you. I don't know the case at all. Remain where you are, Peters. I'll hop right over. And I've questioned the landlady, Chief. She was in her own apartment downstairs all evening. What about the other boarders? Seven were home. None saw or heard anything. Strangling can be quiet. Well, I left word for an examination crew to follow me here. They'll give the whole place a going over. Anything in these drawers here? Shirts, underwear and so on. Chief, who is, or rather was, Scuba? What's the missing document? Well, the tip came through our regular domestic counter-espionage division. Scuba, a courier for a certain communist spy ring, was ready to change sides. Hey, how about this closet here? Ordinary clothes. He an American? In the process of becoming a citizen. Obviously, his bosses learned he was going to change sides. Now, the document is supposed to be a list of about 5,000 prominent citizens around the country who might be blackmailed with facts about them. Blackmailed by spies? That's an old Nazi stunt. Their agents used to compile blackmail material, reel or forged against prominent people in countries surrounding Germany. They use it to prevent these people from resisting Nazi activities. Same idea here. Only used by communists. And much more efficiently. If that list gets out of this country, Chief, we mustn't let it because... What's this? A little package? I don't know. I haven't touched it. From Weiner's Drugstore, 1217 Harper Avenue. Scuba bought some toothpaste, I suppose. Maybe, but on the other hand, this package may tell us exactly who killed Scuba. You wait here for the crew, Peters. I'm taking this right back to the field office for examination. You kept you waiting, John? I was 50 minutes late myself, Don. Say, this isn't the table I told Jaco to reserve. I think... Oh, don't bother. It's cozy enough. You're looking lovely as always, Irene. Cocktail? I've already had it, Gibson. I'll join you in another. Then canapes? Paddy. We'll make that, too. Then what? Cape honk. Fill their soul for me. I, uh... What's the matter? I have a surprise for you. So I tell you now... Oh, now, of course. It's not only a surprise. It's a gift from me to you. How would you like to take a trip to the Azores by plane leaving Tuesday, day after tomorrow? Stay there a week and fly back. Dunk! Oh, it's wonderful. Traveling's my favorite sin. I was sure you'd like it. I've already booked the flight for you. My Aunt Stella will put you up. You met her in New York last winter, you remember? Oh, perfectly. Well, she has a large villa in the Azores, hasn't she? On a hilltop, overlooking the water. And I'll give you something to take to her. A gift for her, too. Oh, good. She's going to have a virtual stranger for a guest. The guest can at least bring a gift. I have it in my pocket. I'll give it to you later. Jewelry? Now don't get me in trouble with the customs anywhere, darling. No, it's a list. A list? How dull. Well, Aunt Stella's active in various international relief organizations. This is a list of people all over the states who might contribute. I got it up for her. Oh, Dunk, did you pick up my perfume at wine's drug store? What, Dunk? What's the matter? Uh, yes, I did, Irene, but I'm afraid I forgot it somewhere. Oh, Dunk, what a stupid thing to do. Yes, I know. Well, we can go by later and pick it up. You remember where we were. No. Well, I imagine the place will be closed. I'll get some really good perfume somewhere else tomorrow. But, Dunk, I can't use the regular commercial brands. Wine has been making this Hyacinth blend for me for a long time. Irene, this is very important. I want you never to go to wine's again. If you're ever asked, you must deny that I picked up that package for you today. I better know why, Dunk. Because I've made a serious mistake. If it's ever found out, I won't be able... I beg your pardon, sir. Oh, yes? This is Ms. Irene Storm? Yes. And you are Mr. Irving Duncan? Who are you? I'm a United States counter-spire. You're both under arrest. Several of my men are scattered among the other patrons. Will you come with me, please? We have arrived. Will you both get out? Dunk, what is this? A better go. Straight ahead to the house. House, way off by itself. Funny place for counter-spires to operate. We pick our bases of operation to suit the case, Ms. Storm. Just a moment. Come in. This way, Ms. Storm, please. Wait in there, please. Don't try to leave. The house is thoroughly guarded. Thank you. Now, if you'll step into the living room with me, Mr. Duncan. Now, first, Mr. Duncan, the document you're carrying in your inside jacket pocket. Let me have it. Very well. Thank you. The murder of Scoober was well done, Mr. Duncan. I never heard of anybody named Scoober. You would never have been detected except that I was in the next room. The vacant one. I left a moment after you did. I deny everything. I demand my constitutional rights. I insist upon being allowed to phone my attorney. That's very good, Mr. Duncan. What? Look at this ring on my finger. Notice the pattern of tiny scratches. You understand. Valviki. You. I didn't know you were even in this country. This list is important. I had to be sure my orders to liquidate Scoober were carried out correctly. I am satisfied. As far as you are concerned, did everything go well? Yes, perfectly. As to the list, Irene Storm is ready to leave the day after tomorrow. I wonder if you confused beauty with reliability. Beauty with... I didn't pose as a counter spy this evening to amuse myself, Duncan. I'm afraid your Irene Storm is a real counter spy agent. Mr. Harding? Come in, Peter. I left the crew working at the boarding house, chief. Looks like a dead end. How about that little package? Take a whiff of this bottle. Smells expensive. Now, here's some litmus paper. Pour a little on. Turns blue. Because this perfume contains a special coloring agent. Put in by Weiner? Why? Weiner's is a famous old-style drugstore, Peter. He makes up special perfumes for a few favored customers. Of course, anybody might buy perfume there, so... At first, I wasn't sure what finding this package in Scuba's room meant. But this color test, which is prearranged between us and Weiner's, proves it was made for a certain person. It's a means of identification and has several uses. You mean a woman you know bought it and left it in Scuba's room? That's what I'm not sure of. Now, flip that light switch, will you, Peter? I want to show you a sound film clip taken earlier today. That's Weiner's Drugstore. Empty at the moment. Strictly 1890. Yes, no fountain, no chromium, just prescriptions. Now, these films were taken from a closet in a back room at Weiner's. The camera covers the prescription counter, and as you see, the two chairs for customers while orders are made up in the back. Now... Good afternoon, sir. That's old man Weiner. Good afternoon. Can you help me, sir? You have a package from Miss Irene Storm. She asked me to pick it up for her. Oh, yes, sir, the Hyacinth perfume. It's right here. How much is it? I send Miss Storm a monthly bill, sir. Oh, uh, will you wrap the bottle, please? Just take a seat for a moment, sir. I'll be right back. Yes. That's the man who liquidated Scuba, Peter. Irving Duncan poses a travel agent. Unfortunately, according to the report I just received, he eluded surveillance tonight. He's the one who left the package in that room by mistake. I'm sure it was a mistake because he must realize by now it can be traced to Weiner's from Weiner's to Irene Storm, and Irene Storm might give him away. Unless she's in the ring, too. She is. Here you are, sir, the package from Miss Storm. Thank you. Good day. Good day. Oh, that's all. Chief, the coloring agent has put only into perfume made for this Irene Storm as identification, you said. And there's an excuse to go to Weiner's or to expose certain individuals to our observation post. And Irene Storm is... Of course. She's a counter spy. You are listening to the case of the pretty plant on Counter Spy. And later you will meet in person one of our government's most daring counter espionage agents, Angela Calamires. For your Christmas Eve listening pleasure, there's another hour and a half broadcast of NBC Sunday Extravaganza, The Big Show, later today over most of these NBC stations. The glamorous, unpredictable Tallulah banquet will preside as usual and her stars include Jimmy Durante, Ed Wynn, Charles Boyer, Margaret O'Brien, Meredith Wilson and many, many more. There's another outstanding production by Theatre Guild on the Air today also. It's Charles Dickens' classic, David Copperfield and Boris Karloff stars as the grasping Uriah Heap. The immortal pages of Dickens come to life later on Theatre Guild on the Air. Now, back to Counter Spy. Oh, Miss Storm, I hope you weren't bored waiting. Bored hardly, angry quite. I demand to know why I'm being held. Duncan can't hear us, Miss Storm. Have you seen Mr. Harding lately or Peters? Who? Our chiefs in the Counter Spies. I don't know them and I don't know you. I'm a nightclub singer, except they're not working now. I'm a friend of Irving Duncan's. We see a lot of each other, but that's all. Miss Storm, Mr. Harding told me to say that you can speak frankly about your observations of the Duncan group. The what? Irving Duncan heads a group of ruthless spies in this country. Enemies of this country. You know that. Since it's your job as a Counter Spy to report on them, Mr. Harding's very pleased with your report. You've got me mixed up with somebody else. I'm Irene Storm, nightclub singer, period. Duncan has just admitted that he's sending you to the Azores by plane on Tuesday carrying an important paper. Oh, well, that's true. I see. He's making me a present of the trip. I have no objection to taking expensive presents from a good friend like Mr. Duncan. And the document, it's only a list of people who might give money to relief organizations or something. You're stubborn, Miss Storm. There is no door in the curtain of steel. What? Oh, Irene. Excuse me a moment. Duncan, come in. Uh, yes. I... I'd like your friend Irene Storm, Duncan. I don't think she believed for a moment that I'm a Counter Spy. I did it first until I said... Careful, Miss Storm. Don't worry. You couldn't control your facial expression, Mr... Valviki. You recognized it as the code statement of echelon 2. A higher echelon than you and Duncan. Are we through with all this now? Of course. I'm anxious to see you take off on Tuesday with that list. Here it is. Thanks. I have some shopping to do tomorrow, including perfume. Irene, I... I promised to get some for you. Leave that to me, Duncan. Unless Mr. Valviki would like to help me with my shopping. Delighted, Miss Storm. Now, how about a drink or two to celebrate tomorrow? Wine is drugstore. Good morning. Good morning, Mr. Winder. This is Irene's store. I find I need two more bottles of Hyacinth perfume. Could you have them ready for me by four this afternoon? Let's see. Come on, take your morning plane to the Azores. Well, in that case, Miss Storm, four o'clock this afternoon. It's kind of a small space, Peters, but we can both squeeze in here. The camera works automatically. It's controlled from upstairs. Men are on duty during all hours. The drugstore is open. Now, take a look through the one-way viewer here. It's the same view as the camera. Hmm. Counter, customer's chairs. Chief, suppose Irene Storm brings Duncan with her. Do you want to grab him? No, no. Grabbing him might alert other group members. We don't know. Wait, hold it. I told Duncan he took me home last night, not another drink. I've had enough. She's right on time. That's not Duncan with her. A new man. Is your perfume ready, Miss Storm? It ought to be. Hello, Miss Storm. Hello, Mr. Weiner. My husband's ready. Please sit down. I'll be right back. I'll sit down here, Mr. Valveke. Valveke? Do you know him, Dad? Top man of their Western Hemisphere Bureau. How did he get into the country? You know, women never cease to amaze me, Miss Storm. Going to all this trouble for a few drops of perfume. There's a whip on his handkerchief. Don't you like it? Betcha I'd like it. Mind on the case, Peters. You can see why she's an effective agent. That's a lovely house you have, Mr. Valveke. I've never been on random road before. In the future, I hope you will see it again. House on random road, Peters. Got it. Miss Storm. Well, thank you, Mr. Weiner. On the bill? Of course. By the way, Mr. Weiner, has anyone unusual been asking here about me? No, Miss Storm. Nobody at all. Well, thanks again. Goodbye. Bye. Bright girl getting Valveke in here. Apparently he doesn't know that Duncan left that bottle in Scuba's room or he wouldn't have come. Irene must have some angle on that. She asked Weiner if anybody had been looking for her, and Valveke gave her a look of sudden suspicion. She's got some plan on foot. Let's go. Hello. Hello, darling. Oh, yes, darling. I've just had a call from our friend. He wants us both to come out to his house again this evening. He's very anxious. Good. I'm very anxious to see him again, Duncan. Oh, pick me up here about eight or so. Your high ball, Miss Storm. Thanks. Yours, Duncan? Yes, thanks. You are packed to leave, Miss Storm. I finished up after you took me home this afternoon. The list? Quite safe. Miss Storm, I've been puzzling over something you said in that drugstore. What did I say? You asked if anyone unusual had inquired after you. You're too clever to say things idly. Who specifically might be inquiring after you? Valveke, I don't see any point in that. I thought the police might have come to Winers. Why? Irene. Because yesterday afternoon, Dunk picked up a bottle of perfume for me there and forgot it somewhere else, and I'm afraid in Scuba's room. No. And, of course, it could be traced. Duncan, I asked you if you'd left any loose ends. Why did you conceal this? I wasn't sure I left it there. Probably I didn't. Nothing's come of it. Irene, I asked you to protect me. A loose end like that is dangerous and has to be tested. I wanted Valveke to know. You could have simply told me, Miss Storm. It was a risk to go back to Winers. For you and for me. The list is the main thing. I didn't risk that. Yes. Quite right. Even so, I... Valveke, you fired those shots. From my pocket. Duncan was too careless. He had to be disposed of. Now we have no loose ends. I'll hide him in the cellar. You take off tomorrow. I go tonight. Valveke. I expect no one. Neighbors. Police. Maybe we were traced from Winers after all. You have the list at home. Go get it. Keep it safe. Whatever you do. Leave by the back door. I'll cover you. You'll be taken, Valveke. Maybe killed. I'm always ready for that. No. There's still one more thing for you to do. I order you to come with me. Very well. Maybe we can both make it the back way. Come on. Here's Duncan. Yeah. Dead. The girl in Valveke is gone. Maybe the back way... Hold it, Peter. Valveke caught just yet. What? Not just yet. Get on our car radio. Warn Edwards and Samuels not to grab those two. Only tail them. Don't take me right to my apartment, Valveke. Better let me out here. But I'm sure we were traced through Winers drugstore. Counter spies may be at your apartment now. Give me a little credit, Valveke. I've removed everything dangerous from there. I'll be able to take off safely tomorrow morning. I hope you're right. There's one thing you've got to do at once. Communicate with headquarters overseas that I'm on my way to the Azores. Confirm my arrival. Yes. All right. I have a transmitter in a warehouse. Goodbye, Valveke. I'll probably never see you again. Goodbye. And good luck. It's a faint light in that far corner of the warehouse. Yeah. Come on. And this is R24 in New York. An urgent message, Mexico, for transmission at once to overseas. About agent T171. It's Valveke, Dave, at a short wave sender. Reporting about Irene Storm. Let's grab him. No, wait. Let him report. Then Irene Storm can still work safely in that spy ring. Listen, Mexico. Report to overseas. T171 has the list. Tomorrow morning, 10 a.m., New York time, she will fly to the Azores. Tell Aunt Stella, T171 is absolutely reliable. This is R24 cutting out. All right, Peters, now. All right, Valveke, United States counter-spies. You're under arrest. Why? Under arrest? Peters, take a look at that transmitter. Right. Valveke, we're taking you in on suspicion of being a communist spy. What message did you send on this radio? Message? Where? To whom? Valveke, your spying days are over. Peters, call in a mobile squad, take this place over. And Valveke, too. This is David Harding. In the case we've just presented, your counter-spies were, of course, trained, experienced agents. But sometimes your government, in its fight against those who want to destroy it, calls upon average citizen. One such citizen is here now, at your counter-spy microphone. She is Angela Calomaris, who, after a long period of posing as a communist, recently revealed her experiences in her best-selling book published by the J.B. Lippincott Company, titled Red Masquerade. Now, here in person, is Angela Calomaris. Eight years ago, I was a photographer in New York with no idea except to get ahead in my profession. For the next seven years, I posed as a communist. I pretended to believe fanatically in the brutal, dishonest, anti-democratic cause of communism. And all that time, I reported communist activities regularly to the FBI. Why was I chosen for this unpleasant work? I was single, I came from an average family, and believed absolutely in our American democratic way of life. But I seemed to be typical communist material. It was important to know how communists work, how they pipe their vicious ideas into the ordinary stream of American life. So, at the request of the FBI, I became a member of the Communist Party. Discipline is iron. There is a pretense of democratic procedure. But actually, everything happens in slavish obedience to whatever the Soviet Union wants. Under orders as a communist, I helped prolong strikes. I participated in demonstrations in Washington. I helped defeat the first anti-subversive action by Congress, the Munt Nixon Bill. In 1947, I participated in a national survey which resulted in a detailed blueprint for sabotage. In 1948, I helped reorganize the Communist Party in line with this blueprint. I helped promote communist and pro-communist candidates in elections. I raised funds, and with every other party member and fellow traveler, I gave at least two weeks' pay to two or three fund drives a year. And I personally met thousands of communists. I joined at least a dozen front organizations and one communist-dominated union. And all that time, I reported to the FBI. I reported in person, in meetings carefully arranged and camouflaged, by phone, always followed by written reports. The danger of exposure was always with me, but I was never exposed until I went into court last year to testify for the government as a surprise witness in the trial of the 11 Communist Party leaders. What did my work accomplish? On still one more front, I was able to show how communists, wrapping themselves in the American flag, work only for a system that wants to destroy everything our country stands for. The Communist Party is still a dangerous underground network. Communists are in every walk of life. Our country has never faced such a vicious threat. It is up to you, individual citizens, to combat communism wherever you find it. Communists mean business. I hope you do, too. Thank you, Miss Calamaris, and good luck with your book, Red Masquerade. Through the efforts of patriotic citizens like yourself and trained government agents, the activities of subversive groups will be constantly under surveillance, so that free men will continue to remain free. Tune in every week, same time, same station, too. Counterspies. Listen next week for the exciting case of the kleptomaniac clues. When certain papers invaluable to the nation's mobilization plans were reported missing, your counterspies subtracted a teakwood figure from a whatnot shop and found it added up to murder. To learn how this crime multiplied by intrigue and divided by espionage resulted in one of the strangest cases in counterspies history. Listen next week, too. Case of the kleptomaniac clues on Counterspies. Tonight's Counterspies program originated in New York was directed by Marks B. Loeb, dramatized by Paul R. Milton, and featured Don McLaughlin and Mandel Kramer, Lionel Rico speaking. Counterspies is a Phillips H. Lorde production. Three times mean good times on NBC.