 That's the theme from the Sears radio theater tonight a program of mystery with Vincent Price as your host Here's a preview. It's a perfect plan. What can go wrong? Hey, don't try to involve me in this You are a genius Toby. You've got the mind of a master cleaner. I was just making a game How much you figured old ladies worth five six million what we see set up for life I wasn't serious the Sears radio theater will begin after this message from your local station He said that opposites attract well, we won't dispute that in fact our story concerns two friends who at first glance seem quite unalike Toby McVeigh is a plumber with his own small business He does quite well not perhaps as well as we sometimes think plumbers do but well enough nonetheless He works hard which is more than can be said for his friend iron Smith Even to be kind about it. We would have to characterize iron as no good He is a hustler and a small-time confidence man who thinks Toby is relentlessly square Hey, I'm hey Toby want to go shoot some pool. I'm on my way to a job Take the afternoon off matter of fact. I could use an assistant. You want to make a little money The plumbers help her no way Search yourself. You know the trouble with you is told but you're never gonna make it in this world Cuz you've got no larceny in your soul. You think like an honest man, which is very unimaginative I can think like a crook if I want I just don't care to act like one No on the face of it. Toby and iron seemed like opposites But there must have been some mutual spark of recognition that first drew them together the question was Who was going to convert whom and that's only the beginning of our story It's an exceptional entertainment every week brought to you in Elliott Lewis production of the Sears Radio Theater Our story the ransom by Percy Granger our stars Lerene Tuttle Stephen Markle and Vic Perron The Sears Radio Theater is brought to you by Sears Robux and Company Sears where America shops for value Had lived his whole life in the shadow of great wealth He was a local tradesman in the Westchester community Like most of us he considered himself to be hard-working and honest He took for granted that his life would never rise to any Profoundly dramatic dimensions He knew his place in the great scheme of things and because he presumed to know himself so well He took his envy of the rich in strife He was naturally above temptation so it hardly bothered him when he speculated Idly of course on Fantastic ways he might improve his luck. This is one hefty piece of real estate Must be a quarter mile from the main road to the front of the house little owner on the back Yes, you were mr. Carson the butler. I am Toby McVeigh the plumber you called me We did come in. Did you park your truck down the drive out of sight of the house as we asked? Yep? Sorry about that. This is the policy seems to have been a version to anything to remind you. We're living in the 20th century Don't we all sometimes this way I Did some digs she collects iron, huh? They all do The problem is in the basement down here work for the old dame long only two months so far That's a record. I hear she's not easy to work for it not since her husband died left her all alone It's a person who made I feel sorry for Mississippi porphy has a sleep in the room next to hers and every night at one o'clock She gets her up to bring your glass of warm milk Even the rich have trouble sleeping Hey, the odd thing is this would be Paul who probably wouldn't wake up at all So she sets her alarm to make sure she does like a ritual who knows Well, here it is leaking pipe You can see I tried to patch it myself without much success doesn't this is to power free have a regimen of handyman around Is it that kind of thing now that she's alone is only me a maid and a cook. Hmm. Oh, I'll need to shut off the water The valves are over here Which part of the house is just going to affect with a bathroom from the second floor The cook's room is on the top floor, and I have my quarters in another part of the basement here No, you better tell the ladies the water will be out for almost a half hour. Very well That's kind of hot down here. You mind if I crack a window? You might just just be sure to close it when you're finished Finished not exactly I made a temporary patch for that pipe, but the whole section ought to be replaced in fact She could probably do with a whole new set of pipes and those look like they arrive with a creation You want to clear that with the old baby? Oh, you just go ahead and order it. She'll take your word I'll take a couple of days to order the pipe. I'll call you when it comes in How much do we owe you for this visit? $20, but you can pay me when I miss it to Paul if he'd like to pay all for bills immediately Another ritual. Oh, there you go. That's quite a wad. She gives you to carry around petty cash That's the whole order and when will I get it? Okay, thanks. Hi, it's Toby. Oh, hello, aren't you managed to keep out of trouble today? I just ran three straight racks against some rich kid from the local prep school who thought he could hustle me Your daddy probably bought him a pool table last month. My kid thinks he's an expert. Yes, where I've just been Out of the depulterate Wow, I Wonder how much that name's worth You know, it's a fact that most of the richest people in this country are women widows and stuff like that Well, I'm the brakes. What's uh, what's you gonna charge her? I think I'd charge anyone else. Oh, come on charge your double She won't know the difference. I couldn't do that. Why not? Well, why should I it isn't right? You know Toby, that's your problem and that's why you'll never get anywhere in this world Yeah, and what do you do except pass a few bad checks and get arrested every three months How much you make for that house call 20 dollars, so I made 200 hustling that kid Oh, I never said I was a hero. We just all got our own way of doing things. You know, you don't know yourself Well, my way takes a certain amount of the initiative that's all I know No, I did something kind of funny while I was there. Oh, what I was working in the basement and I opened the window So but I didn't close it when I finished I left it open. You forgot. No I left it open on purpose. Why? I don't know But the other funny thing is I told the butler I wanted to open it because I was hot But that wasn't hot at all. So what were you thinking? Nothing. I didn't have anything on my mind So why did I do it? We really know ourselves What we are capable of and what we might do in certain tempting situations How often do we think one way and act another As if our subconscious mind were saying this is the real me So you didn't watch the basement window. Why not? I don't know The butler told me something, but I didn't really think about it Well, what did he tell you? Well, he said there were only three servants in the entire house Oh, yeah, that's all Anyway, I just did it. I guess it gives me a little buzz or something just knowing that window's still open Thanks for the tip, pal I don't know Well, what are you kidding me? It sounds perfect She's a big art collector, ain't she? The stuff in that house must be what I meant Oh, what can you take out through a basement window? Plenty But the butler knows who opened it. I'll be the first person the police come to And if you think I'm taking her out Relax, Toby. It's very simple After I enter, I shut the window and when I leave I go out the front door Hey, you want to come along? Me Two guys can carry twice as much loot as one I'm not a thief Well, who's gonna know? I got fences that'll take the stuff off our hands for cold cash Nah, I got a better plan Yeah? Sure. Stealing art objects and silverware is no good. It's too bulky. It can be traced So, what would you take? Mrs. DePaul-free You a lady? Sure. You mean kidnapped? And hold her for ransom Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, that is crazy. That's a major offense Sure, but it pays top dollar So, how would you do it? I was thinking about it on the way back to the shop I worked out a whole plan In the first place, there are no gardeners, no security people and the front gate is broken and they leave it open We can just drive right in There's a stand of trees just inside that I haven't noticed since I was driving away We could park the car in there and no one would see it You were faking all this out? Now, there are only four people in the entire house, right? The butler sleeps in the basement The cook sleeps on the top floor The maid sleeps in the room next to Mrs. DePaul-free's on the second floor So she's the only one we'd have to worry about Ah, but nobody gets away with kidnapping I could I'd take up to my cabinet, Mohawk Mountain And then I hit the family fat for the ransom while a shock of it still hasn't scared And they don't want any trouble, no cops or anything, so they pay I release the old lady, no one gets hurt Now that's pretty good, wise guy, except for one thing What's your alibi? The cops are bound to question everybody who's been to the house recently That's the best part of the whole plan I have worked at a foolproof alibi Carson told me that every night Mrs. DePaul-free sets her alarm for one o'clock Rings for the maid and has her bring her a glass of warm milk Well, what'd she do that for? Who knows? The rich are different So anyway, I'd sneak into the house around midnight, see? Yeah Go up to Mrs. DePaul-free's bedroom and shut off the alarm Then I would take off Without the old lady, I'd make the rounds of all the usual bars we hit at night Get good and seen by everyone, then go back to the house a couple hours later Make off with the dame and presto The next morning the maid will tell the police the kidnapping must have happened before one Because the old lady never woke her for her milk And before one, you were on display at every bar in town Clever It's not bad for an amateur, not bad So you want to do it tonight? I was just putting you on It's a perfect plan, what can go wrong? Hey, don't try to involve me in this You are a genius, Toby You got the mind of a master criminal I was just making a game How much you figured the old lady's worth? Five, six million? What? We'd be set up for life I wasn't serious Yeah? So why'd you leave that basement window open? Hey, Toby, another draft? Toby Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, Pete Anything wrong here? You're kind of quiet tonight No Kind of strange, I haven't seen her I didn't come in Yeah? What about it? Well, nothing I was just making an observation I have every use now Oh, Pete, do you want to grab the rent? No, thanks, Pete Not tonight No, please You must be on a something big No, no All right, give me a draft You see, Toby, it's very important We make like everything's normal Here you go Excuse me Well, what happened? Did you get in all right? Was the window still open? No problem The alarm's turned off So? So, you see how easy it is? I'm back safe and sound Phase one completed Now, are you in this with me? One million? Maybe two? Maybe more? Okay, let's do it You see, Toby There she is Our ticket to Easy Street Sleep and peaceful is the day she was born Yeah How are we going to get her out of here? Look, I'm going to knock her out No, no violence, darling What do you mean with chloroform, you idiot? Oh, look, she's storage Who's there? Don't move Don't look We got guns Wait, you hold her Excuse me, just grab her Am I being kidnapped? That's right, lady But wait, just a minute now Let me tell you something Hold her, will you? Listen to me Let me tell you something Okay, let's get her out of here Land the perfect crime It all looked so easy Well, as it turned out That was precisely the problem It was even easier than they thought And now they are sitting in Toby's car At his cabin in the Connecticut Hills Staring with open mouths At their hostage Is she still breathing? Of course she is We'll put the blindfold on her Before she comes too Before we take her in Yeah It ought to be tight enough Easy, easy, don't cut off her circulation Relax We're here Oh We're coming around Oh, here I just thought of something Names We've got to have names for each other You can't hear our real names What? Oh, I can't think of any Mud and Jeff, okay? Mud and Jeff Where am I? Oh It ain't gonna do any good to scream, lady Oh Oh, I was right I've been kidnapped Jeff, I just thought of something else How much we're gonna ask for I don't know A million We'll make it two, huh? Have you taken me a long way from my home? Maybe Maybe not Oh, that's too bad I could have saved you a lot of trouble Yeah, sure Lady We want two million dollars ransom And don't try to tell if you're broke No, no, that's what I was trying to say Before you're not out All my money's in my house What? In fact, it's all in my bedroom Your bedroom? There's seven million dollars in parts Not ten feet from where I was sleeping Why didn't you say so? I tried to But you pushed that claw form in my face What's the money doing there? I don't trust banks My third and fifth husbands were bankers That's the silliest thing I ever heard Banks are perfectly safe I certainly wouldn't try to rob one Oh, look, the fact is that's where it is And now we've got to figure out how to get it Well, it's all there Seven million dollars Unless you intend to kill me, please You're welcome to some of it Just where is it? I told you in my bedroom Where in your bedroom? Where? What does it do if I tell you? Oh, well, once we have the money, man, we'll let you go What assurances do I have of that? Hey, who's asking who for assurances? It's a two-way street Why, I ought to... Mark, pick it easy Mark? Oh, who? Don't tell me it's your partner's name, Jeff Yes, ma'am That's what you can call us Oh, how wonderful Every thought I'd be kidnapped by muttons Yes In that case, I'm sure I can trust a word The money is in the back of my closet What's it in? Some kind of safe? No, plastic garbage bags Plastic garbage bags? No, both things Come on, let's get her inside and tie her up and then we'll figure out how we're going to get to that cash That should do it Oh, oh, how's the circulation, Mr. Palfrey? That rope isn't too tight, is it? Thank you It's all right, Jeff Okay, first question Who do we contact? Who can we call to get us the money? I have no idea Somebody in your family? Oh, I wouldn't bust with them My children are ungrateful and incompetent Besides, I'm not even sure where they're living We never keep in touch What about your butler, Mr. Karsten? I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him He's been with me less than two months and already things have started disappearing In fact, I'm surprised he's not in all this Well, there has to be someone we can call A lawyer? Yes, well, his name is Richard Montgomery But frankly, I don't see what he'll be able to do Well, he isn't trustworthy either Oh, no, he's perfectly honest But that isn't a point Once he's discovered that I've been kidnapped there will be police all around my house How could anyone smuggle up two million dollars in cash? She's got a point Stop calling them buts Now look, you can't convince me everything you have is in them garbage bags You must have some stocks and bonds, huh? That could be converted to cash Yes, I have a very healthy portfolio But once they discover I'm gone a district attorney will freeze all my assets How do you know so much about all this? I can't even imagine kidnapping is the occupational hazard of the rich It's happened to some many of my best friends freezing assets so a ransom cannot be paid except under police surveillance is standard procedure So what are we supposed to do? I don't know But boys, believe me, I'm on your side Anything I can do to help, please let me know This is all very convenient for you, isn't it? You mean to tell me seven million in cash you're sitting there in garbage bags and there's no way we can get at it? I'm sure you will think of something much Hey, I got an idea Let's come into the other room Maybe I can get back into the house How? I'll tell the cops I'm the plumber I'm doing a job I need to check the pipes in the upstairs bathrooms to see if they need to be replaced, too That'll get me into a room If the money's really there I can smuggle out my toolkit Our kidnapper goes back to the house to pick up his own ransom money Who ever heard of such a thing? That's just it Whoever did It just might work, eh? What? Oh, hi Are you Captain Driver? Yeah Your man down by the road said I should talk to you I'm Toby McBae I'm doing some plumbing work for Mrs. DePaulford Oh, yeah, we've been looking for you You have? Well, I've been out on calls all morning What's going on here anyway? There's cops all over the place Looks like the old lady may have been kidnapped last night Kidnapped? Really? There hasn't been any contact yet for ransom money but I expect that's coming soon enough Wow I certainly hope Mrs. DePaulford is all right I'd like to ask you a couple questions if I can Sure Mr. Carson says you were here yesterday, right? Yeah, I was working down in the basement Mr. Carson? Yes, sir Is this the man who was here yesterday morning? Yes, for about a half hour Here's Captain Yeah, Sergeant We checked the whole house top to bottom There's no clue how the kidnappers might have gotten him Well, just a minute, Captain Mr. McBae The window you opened in the basement Did you shot it when you left? You opened the window? Yes, sir, but I shot it Sergeant We checked the basement window They were all locked Okay, it's all for now, Mr. McBae but keep yourself available for further questioning Oh, thanks, Captain But, you see, I came here on the job I gotta take some measurements in the second-story passage for pipes that need replacing I'm afraid it'll have to wait Wait? Not letting anyone in the house until we get some kind of a break on the case But why not? What possible difference can there be? It's a matter of procedure Mr. McBae But those pipes, they're pretty old They really ought to be fixed Why are you so anxious to get into the house? I wouldn't worry about it As long as Mrs. DePaul free is missing, she won't be using her bathroom, will she? But... Good day, Mr. McBae No luck They wouldn't let me go inside Why not? Another guy in charge of the investigation's a pill Where in the hell did that leave us? When you were gone I called her lawyer She was right They've frozen her assets Our only chance is to get at that money in her bedroom This is the most unbelievable situation I ever heard of How's the old lady? Oh, she's fine I'm the one that's a wreck She talks constantly about horse shows and garden shows and dog shows I tell you I'm ready to strangle her call it murder and be done with her Oh, you haven't done anything? No? No, I haven't Mrs. DePaul free Oh, you're back I'm afraid I've been going here practicing here with all sorts of nonsensical prattles But when one is blindfolded it has an emetic effect on the tongue Yeah, yeah, you see what I mean? She just don't stop and relax I am? You idiot Now she knows my name No, I don't No, no, no I didn't hear a thing I won't say anything You don't have to kill me This whole thing has been botched from the beginning Now I'm going to take over and we're going to get some results You're not going to get violent are you? James like her can always get their hands on going a pinch I'm going to call that lawyer back He sounded like a reasonable man Oh, he is And from a very good start Shut up, you I'm going to deal with him We'll tell him we want two million dollars or else Or else You start sending parts of me to them Toby, find a way to shut her up I hear you What? I didn't hear a thing I didn't Now she knows my name too So? Well, that makes us even But she knows who we are If we let her go That's right So, what do you think, Toby? You were capable of kidnapping You think you're capable of murder? What? Yes My lips are serious Iron, come back into the other room This is a real problem Yeah And I don't like problems We got no choice now We'll have to kill her No, relax We'll get the money first No, there was going to be no violence We agreed on that Well, the situation has changed And we've got to improvise All right, all right But I've got a better idea Let's hear it Okay, now, this is how I figure it The only way we can get to her money Is to get into the house And the house is under constant police surveillance Right The only way to get into the house Is to get rid of the cops And the only way to get rid of the cops Is to let Mrs. DePaul free go What? It's our best hope Are you crazy? As soon as you let her go She'll tell her cops her name Not necessarily Well, what's going to stop her? Listen Where are you going? Back to enter into a little negotiation With our prisoner Negotiation? You said I had the makings Of a master criminal Well, I'm about to prove to you How right you were Fluting act of the ransom Now, wait a minute Wait a minute Let me get this straight You are saying that We ought to let the old aim go She's the only one Who can get her some money Oh, now that's crazy How are you going to get her to do it? Well, she'd have to give us her promise Of course Promise? Toby, we kidnapped her And now you're saying We should let her go If she promises to bring her some money And not only that She knows who we are There's no way we can let her go Well, there might be a way, you know If the alternative is best Well, of course She'll agree to anything While we got her tied up in there But once she's free She'll go back on her words I don't think so You see, iron You've got to understand Who we're dealing with here This is a person of class Refinement She's also a sportswoman And I happen to know by word of mouth That she's quite a poker player too Now, with someone like that Their word is their bond It's a matter of pride And if she'll give us her word I'm going to bet she'll keep it Just let me put the proposition to her In my own way And see what she says But, yes Is that you? Yes Well, what have you decided to do? Well I've already forgotten Listen to her Listen to her, you see She's lying right now Ma'am I've got a proposition to make to you What? Well We're all free In a kind of unusual situation Here at the moment, aren't we? Well, the way I see it It's a no-win proposition For all of us On the one hand We can't get your money As long as we hold you hostage And on the other hand Even if we got the money We couldn't let you go alive Because you know our name Yes, that's right Now Your average kidnappers Do you panic Do you indispose of the body And go on back about their daily business Like nothing had happened But you are lucky enough To have kidnappers Who appreciate the shortcomings In that plan We wouldn't be any richer You'd be thin So my idea is very simple Let's make a deal What sort of a deal? We will let you go alive If you promise not to turn us in And to pay us the ransom At your earliest convenience You let me go? Unharmed Your life In exchange for the ransom It's still your basic kidnapping principle Let's put it this way, Mrs. DePaul-Free We're like two hostile nations Facing each other With our respective fingers Hovering over our respective Big red panic buttons So what I'm proposing we do Is count to three And both take our fingers away At the same time It involves a certain mutual trust But this way We all come out ahead The other way we don't You say that's how you see it What about your friend? He's ready to blow your head off That's right I see Personally, I think my plan Makes more sense But how do you know I won't go to the police? If you give us your word of honor We're prepared to accept that I'm full of docs Plus, switch If you try any funny stuff I got friends who'll do me a favor Even if I happen to be in jail Well, that rather takes the honor out of it But I get the general idea So what do you say? Well, since the alternative is this I obviously agree Good But just one thing I cannot in good conscience Give you the full amount of the ransom you asked for After all of your common criminals No life with rats No, I most certainly cannot let this go Without butter On the other hand I do put a certain value on my life But consider for a moment We are speaking of an exchange And it stands to reason That the two items being exchanged Should be of commensurate value Now, if I were a young woman With a lion's share of my life in front of me I might be willing to consider it worth The two million you asked for But gentlemen I am 86 years old What am I getting for my ransom money? Three may be four good years at most And the rest Gives valued by Sanity Therefore I can't really see paying you Anything more than a hundred thousand A lousy hundred grand? Or at peanuts? It's a hundred thousand more than you had When you brought me here Oh, you are in no position to be making deals Oh, but that's just it, aren't you? Yes And a hundred thousand cold cash tax Free split two ways As an improvement over the scenery as they say High movie except No, not reasonable It's a princely sum for two days work What's the alternative to become a murderer? And to come away empty handed altogether? Think of your professional pride When did you ever do something for nothing? Okay, okay Good Uh, Mrs. DePoffery with your indulgence We'll leave the blindfold in place until we let you go It'll make it easier for you to stick to your story That you can't identify it Thank you I'll consider it Just around the next time We'll remove the blindfold If you can get out of the car with your eyes closed Yes, I think so Okay Matt, open the door And now, Mrs. DePoffery You're a free woman Once you're out of the car Open your eyes and walk straight ahead without looking back Very well You got your story straight Yes I was kidnapped and taken out on a boat into the sound After several hours they brought me back to shore And released me I was blindfolded the entire time And I never heard them speak a word I saw and heard nothing that could identify them And I have no idea why they let me go I feel like I'm still in that cold feet Oh, the cops will think we're a couple of cowards Sticks and stones, Matt Sticks and stones Just remember, lady, any funny stuff and Well, I'm pretty good at funny stuff, too Yes, Matt, I'm sure you are May I go now? Yes, ma'am End of one, she looks back No, you lose, iron She's a woman of her word There she goes, out of sight I don't like it Something's gonna go wrong Oh, I think it'll work out Now, let's get out of here before the police see her The captain, look That woman's come off the driveway Isn't that Mrs. DePoffery? I think it is Mr. DePoffery, you all right? Oh, in the peace office Well, what happened? I was kidnapped How'd you get free? Gentlemen, I'm not the most amazing story of the day She's gone wrong, iron, relax Well, look at the time, it's almost 2.30 The agreement was she'd be here in your shop At two o'clock sharp for the money She'll be here Oh, we really blew it A couple of amateurs, that's what we are Small-time penny-addy creepos If we were smart, we'd blow towns Just keep thinking of that $100,000, iron Let that be your anchor You know what hurts most When the full story of this ridiculous caper hits the streets The guys ain't gonna believe it I won't be able to show my face I'll be a laughing stock I don't think so, iron Look, who's coming through the door Hello, boys Ah, we made it last You think she's been followed? Wait, now, before either of you speak Let me guess, which one of you is mutt And which one is yes Well, that's not hard The one with the teeth missing And the permanent scowl is obviously mutt And you, Mr. McBain, are yes Are you alone? Hey, Ty I told the police the story we agreed on And I spoke to it In fact, if you're interested There's a latest ambition of the paper It has the entire story Well, see, widow's abduction of mystery At this very moment, the police are down at the marina Checking out everyone who owns the boat Well, at least as if you've kept to our bargain So, where is the money? Well, now, that's what we have to talk about I thought it over And I really don't see how I can honor That part of our bargain What do you mean? I'm a woman of my word, it's cool But I was forced to make that deal under duress And I think that excuses me for my obligation, don't you? Anyway, I've decided not to give you a sentence You told the com- Oh, no, no, that much of the bargain not kept What I'm saying is I am prepared to forget the whole business Well, gentlemen, goodbye Uh, just a minute, just a minute You're not going anywhere You think you can double-cross us like that And get away with it Maybe you didn't think I was serious But I got a gun here And I'm going to blow those last three or four years Right out of your spindly frame Oh, no Oh, let him go, I said, Mr. McVeigh As a matter of fact If you want the money, I promised you This is the one way you'll get it Look, what do you mean? I was quite certain Iron was serious about doing the mission If I didn't give you the money And I didn't see the notion of spending my last few remaining years Looking over my shoulder So, before I came here I took a certain precaution I went by an insurance office And took out a life insurance policy For a hundred thousand dollars Payable to the two of you Iron Smith And Toby McVeigh Uh, to us? Yes But there was one stipulation The policy is only good If I die by violence means So, go ahead Iron Fire away and the money is yours But there will be some very awkward questions Gentlemen Been brought to you by Sears, Robach and Company Where our policy is Satisfaction guaranteed Or your money back Sears Where America shops For value The ransom was written by Percy Granger Produced and directed by Fletcher Markle Your host was Vincent Price Our stars were Lureen Tuttle, Stephen Markle and Vic Perron Featured in the cast were Jack Carroll, Barney Phillips And Don Diamond The music for Sears Radio Theatre Was composed and conducted by Nelson Riddle This is Art Gilmore speaking The Elliott Lewis production of Sears Radio Theatre Is a presentation of CDI Entertainment with great music and more People like Laurie Allen and Jim Doyle On KMOXFM St. Louis KMOXFM President Carter says the nation cannot reach its energy goals If Congress fails to pass a windfall Prophets tax on the oil industry This is Doug Polling reporting on the CBS Radio Network The president held news conference at the White House tonight Saying he needs the help of the American people In getting the tax approved Noting the House has already passed it The president referred to what happens next Now it is the turn of the United States Senate to act And that will be a massive struggle to gut The windfall profits tax bill If this happens Then we cannot reach our energy goals I want to serve notice tonight That I will do everything in my power as president To see that the windfall profits tax is passed Because I consider it to be crucial to our nation's future Referring to last week's changes in his cabinet The president said, I have no apology to make He said he felt changes were needed to create a new team for him Mr. Carter said the appointment of Hamilton Jordan As White House Chief of Staff Was one of the most grossly distorted decisions He's ever made in his political career The president explained what Jordan is and is not to be He will not be the chief of the cabinet I will be chief of the cabinet He will not be the chief of the Congress The Congress is an independent body We'll have the same relationship with the Congress With the same people that we have all the time Hamilton Jordan will be chief of the White House staff That says responsibility is signed by me That the job he will fulfill And I have absolutely no doubt Based on his past experience and my knowledge of him That he will do a superb job He said he's made no decision on running For reelection next year House leaders tonight have abruptly halted debate On a new standby gasoline rationing bill The halt came after the unexpected adoption Of an amendment sharply limiting the president's Flexibility to impose rationing The amendment would give Congress two chances To reject any rationing plan First when he drafts it And then when he tries to implement it House leaders will try again to pass a rationing bill Without the Republican sponsored amendment At his news conference tonight President Carter referred to the rationing development Saying this action today by the House Illustrates the timidity of Congress In dealing with a sensitive political issue Democratic Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia A key figure in the debate on the SALT II treaty Said today he cannot support the arms agreement Without a pledge from President Carter For major increases in military spending Nunn said the administration is not spending Enough on military preparedness The administration's budget For the past two years And the president's defense budget projection Through fiscal year 1984 Together with the secretary of defense's own testimony Make it abundantly clear That the Carter administration is not yet Prepared to compete effectively With the Soviet Union in the military arena And the joint chief has said Clearly that effective competition is necessary If SALT is to have any meaning For our nation Nunn is regarded as a serious student Of military affairs and his position on SALT Could influence how some of his colleagues vote In Boston tonight a former city employee Was shot and wounded a high ranking police officer Surrendered to police 36 year old David Sundstrom gave himself up After holding six members of his family hostage For several hours In control of Nicaragua