 Harding, counterspy, calling Washington. Especially appointed to investigate and combat the enemies of our country, both at home and abroad. Tonight, the case of the hijacked country, a thrilling counterspy report to the American people. One evening in the assembly hall of counterspy headquarters in Washington, Chief David Harding was addressing a counterspy training group of over a hundred young men and women. Lecture 17, Technique of Modern Revolution. In years to come, many of you will serve in foreign posts, and I want you to know how a few daring individuals can seize an entire country. In former times, pitched battles were fought. In modern times, control is cleverly seized by shrewdly planned action. Battles come later. Maybe. Now, this technique of revolution may also be used for other purposes. As we learned when I recently sent my assistant, Harry Peters, to Costa Guana in South America, where, as you know, the United States is interested in Los Rosa's pitch-blend mines for uranium. Peters. Yes, Mr. Harding. With that map, will you tell the group something about Costa Guana? Well, Costa Guana lies on the east coast of South America, neighboring on Puerto Blanca. Spanish is the language of the population, mostly farmers and ranchers, of a million, two hundred thousand. A close friend of the United States, Costa Guana has no army, only a national police force of some eight hundred men. Los Rosa's pitch-blend mines are in the mountains, here. And that was where I reported to the administrative officer, one Colonel Juan Martino. Easy. Easy, boy. I beg your pardon. Colonel Martino? Yes, sir. I'm Harry Peters, United States counter-spies. My credentials and orders to report to you, sir. Ah, Senor Peters, welcome to Los Rosa's mines. And did you have a good journey? Fine, thank you, sir. I flew to Puerto Alegre and then took ship to Costa Guana. And by horse, I flew into the mountains. I'm surprised that road can't be used by cars and trucks. Next year, we plan to build a new highways, Senor Peters. Have you seen yet the counter-spies you will replace as security officer? Jorgensen? Yes, sir, I have. He's very anxious to start the long trip home. Yes, no doubt. You know, Colonel, I've never seen such beautiful mountains. The contrast with the tropical sea coast is amazing. And the life, too, Senor Peters. Here, we work day and night, two thousand miners and their machines to get pitch-blend. But in the tropical climate of the coast, there is relaxation, gaiety. And of course, it is down there, they make the political troubles. I hope there will be no troubles while you are here. Tell me, how often do you deliver pitch-blend over to the coast, Colonel? Oh, once in months, senor. In fact, a shipment is about to leave. Come. One manner of working will interest you hours. And you should know all the details, in any case. Do you keep an armed force here, Colonel? A few men, senor. But when we send the ore down to the port, police are sent from the capital to various danger points on the road. We take no chances. I see. My duties, I understand, include riding down with the ore shipment next month. Yes. But this time, of course, you need not go since the other counter-spies starts his journey home. Ah, here we are. Well, that's quite a sight, Colonel. You see those carts, each drawn by eight mules with bells and handled by a driver and a relief man. Oh, yeah. Now they are about to start. Come on, Jordanson. You're my regard for Mr. Harding. Wait, Pascoe. Stand right there. Stand your full turn. You put a hole in my new hat. I ought to have put it in your head, Pascoe. I've been waiting for you for two weeks. When did you arrive in Casa Guana? An hour ago, senor Poulton, and I stopped on the way only to buy this new hat. Because the guanadas are not good. I must always buy them here in Puerto Blanca. No one must buy another view in your hats. Have you any news? See, that last, senor Poulton, all is in the readiness. Men? A hundred men you can trust to the death. Weapons? Sub-machine guns? Eighty. Garand rifles? Twenty. Automatics? Forty. Yes, yes. And grenades? Six for each man. Ammunition? More than enough. Knives? No, no, no, no, no. And grenades? Six for each man. Ammunition? More than enough. Knives? One for each man. Good. Technicians? Five men. Experts in all means of communications. Telephone and radio. And the next shipment from the mine? There, one shipment left the Las Rosas mines three weeks ago. The next will go in next Tuesday. Ah, and the shipment is worth? How much would you say, Pascoe? ¿Quién sabe? A million? Two million? Ten million. I am overcome by amazement, senor, every time I reflect upon the scheme of yours to steal an entire shipload of uranium ore. Steal a shipload? By Pascoe, we're going to hold up an entire country, the greatest hijack in history, making prisoners of over a million people for as long as we need and right out of the noses of the whole world. Why, we'll knock their eyes out. Like this. One, two, three. Oh, senor Peters, this vein of the mine will be extended another 500 feet into the mountain. I see. How long will the mine last, Colonel? The experts tell me 50 years, senor. But let us hope that before that, the world will have no more need of uranium for bombs, but only for peace. You can double that, Colonel. Ah, you have seen almost everything, senor. Shall we go back to the surface? I'm ready. I make my first trip with the card convoy on Tuesday. I've got some reports to send first to Washington just saying everything under control. Senor Pulton, we will be at the Presidential Palace of Costa Guana. No danger of President Ramos changing my appointment, Mr. Pascoe. Oh, no, senor. He's a mild little man, a former professor at the university. And your appointment was made by important friends of ours. While you are with him, two of our men will stay in the anti-Rome and make sure no one intrudes. And it is an honor to Costa Guana, senor Pulton. So many important American businessmen like yourself come here to help develop our country. I appreciate your feelings, Mr. President. Now I wish you to tell me in what way I can help. As President of Costa Guana, I am anxious to convince our good friends of North America that we will do everything... Mr. President, you don't have to convince anybody in the States. Just me, right here in your office. But you produce a pistol. I do not understand this kind of American joke. It's no joke, Mr. President. I am the President in the very center of our capital city. It is incredible. You mean you don't believe I'd kill you? Kill me? All you have to do is to believe your eyes. Look at this gun. Think about a bullet coming out of it, aimed at your chubby little body. I... I understand. But why do you do this? I'm taking over your whole country for a day, two days a week. As long as I need it. Revolution. But you must have an army, thousands of men. Mr. President, I am pulling my revolution with just a hundred men. In the modern way. You are a madman, Sr. Fulton. Am I, Mr. President? Your country has no army, so I need only three points of control. You for the top authority, communications, and the police. With those in my hands, everything will seem to go on as before. Except for this gun named at your stomach. The breakest hijack in the world, the whole country. Simple, isn't it, Mr. President? Take your five men into this wing of the building. The telephone section. Proclaim the revolution in the name of the people. And kill any of those people who make trouble. Or what? Marks. Then men into the radio and telegraph section. Take control. And keep everything going as usual. Or what? Marks. All right, the rest of you, with me into this wing. The administration. Come. All right, all of you. Listen. We proclaim a revolution in the name of the people. No one will be hurt unless he makes trouble. Go on doing your jobs as if nothing had happened. If you fail or try to escape, look at my men all around the room. And look at their gun. You, senor. You are the director of communication. It's easy, but please have your revolution, but do not disturb us. You will make no trouble? Oh, no, no, no trouble. I only want everything to go smoothly. It is very hard to make things go smoothly. I do not want your revolution to disturb everything. Very good. A healthy way to feel. The rest of the building is already in our hands of it. A man trying to escape. Shoot him, you fool. That is what happens to anyone who makes trouble. Is that clear? Senor, director. You will pick up that telephone and connect me directly with the office of President Tehrano. What? The direct private number. With me. This is the only place do not disturb the communication. I will take that telephone. Hello. Senor Putin, it is Pascal. We are in total command. Ah, good work. And on time, too. President Rommel is just signed his first order. But of course you know what it is. See, Senor Putin. We will transmit that order at once. The chief of national police. An order from the president to remove all police from their positions along the road from last road first mine. President Juan Ramos. Ah, Mr. President, do I pull this trigger? Or do you telephone this next message I've written out for you? Hi. Very well. Hello? Hi. You will send this telegram to La Rosa's mind by order of President Ramos. Emergency. To safeguard the pitch blend. The shipment will be taken by the convoy not to the freighter USS Flygall as previously ordered but to the independent freighter at Pier 14. Signed Ramos, President. Urgent message from Mr. Harding. This is Peters in Costa Guana. Just received orders signed by President Ramos to divert current pitch blend shipment from regular ship to another. Colonel Martino in command here not disturbed, but I am. Also, farmers from neighborhood report that all police have been removed from danger points along highway. Hearing political trouble, I am requesting investigation and return advice. Call 0-30. Every hour on the hour. We'll reach our destination in about two hours. Thanks, Edward. I'm seriously worried by Peters' latest reports. They suggest a revolution. We'll have to land in Puerto Blanca across the frontier from Costa Guana. I wish I knew what's happened to Peters. The convoy is ready to leave the mine. Colonel Martino, I beg you once more. Telephone the President's office for a confirmation of this order to deliver to a different ship. I'm a soldier, Senor. I cannot question orders. Colonel, look. Just arriving. Isn't that a detachment of Monopolis? Ah, yes. You see, Senor, your fields are full. Mr. Martino, I am Captain Fasco. I have orders to escort the convoy to the harbor with these 50 men. Very good, Captain Fasco. Now, this is Senor Peters of the United States Conference. Ah, you will be without Senor? Yes. Do you know this man? No, but still he has the order. Colonel, the police have been removed and now this officer you don't know whether police detachment you didn't expect. Yes. Senor Peters. Captain Fasco. Yes. Captain, your men, please dismount. The convoy cannot start. The women's wait. Wait? My orders are to start at once. Captain, you take your orders from the Colonel. I do not take any from you, counter-spies. Men, arrest the American. Wait, Captain. Be quiet, Colonel. You will be shot next, counter-spies, unless you too obey orders. Not your orders, Fasco. Come back here. Captain, he is running away. Captain, take the men and follow him. The rest of you, start the convoy. Captain isn't too big for the landing, Captain. Well, good to see you, Peter. And a narrow squeak, huh? Yes. After I broke away from that phony police captain, Fasco, three men trailed me for about six hours as I headed for the border in this roundable point. I lost him early this morning. Peter, we've had some reports during our flight from the secret listening posts we maintain in Castiguana. There doesn't seem to be a real revolution going on. These are the radio broadcasts and the newspapers. I've mentioned it. But communications and the police and President Ramos seem to be under outside control. All to steal that shipment of oil. Hey, Mr. Harding. Who's at the head of it, Peter? No idea at all. Well, whoever it is certainly understands modern methods. All he sees were the three things he needs most, authority through the president, force through the police, and communication. But why steal a shipload of pitch-blender oil? It might be transferred to other ships at sea under the orders of some country that need uranium. It's all scattered before anything can be done. What are our chances now, Chief? Did you get your shortwave radio, Peter? Yes. We'll use that to reach our listening posts in the capital of Castiguana. Pull together a force of armed men. Come at the seaport at the point where the highway from the mountains reaches the dock area. Let's go. I'm in Pasco. Yes, Mr. President. I see everything is calm elsewhere in the presidential palace. And it's calm in here, too. Ah. Yes, Mr. President. He slipped, collapsed. I'm dead myself. I haven't slept for 48 hours. Have you got any news since that counter-spire escaped you? Yes. When I came into the city just a while ago, I obtained several reports from our own observers. There are rumors around the city of other counter-spires. Other counter-spires? Yes. How could they get into the country without my knowing? Rumors say they came from over the frontier. And you've got to assign men, not police, some of our own men to hunt them down and kill them. I will do so. Now, the convoy for the mine. It's due to arrive at the ship at seven tonight, right? Two hours. Good. You go and send the men out after those counter-spires. Then phone me here and I'll join you at the ship. Now, go on. Get going. Hold it, men. And we've overpowered the outside guards of the communications building. Now, the big job. The administration wing. I'm afraid we can't take it without violence. There must be a lot of irregular personnel being held in there, Mr. Harding. You'll have to break in and warn them fast before any shooting starts. That's my job. Attention, everybody. Throw yourselves on the floor. Put the machine down, surrender. The steel and fire ship operation requested. We have just learned that the convoy is already at the dock. Please concentrate every available man at tier 14. Counter-spires will meet you there. Unload those carts onto the ship and pass. Pasco, these men are focused. See that our men keep the loading going fast. See, the whole job has to be done in six hours. Ship sails with the morning tide, and we've got to be ready. See, senior, everybody, get ready. Senior, sir, name. Who wants John Poulton? This is David Harding, United States counter-spires. The entire dock is surrounded by 500 armed police. We call on you to surrender. No surrender, Harding. It's my duty to warn you to try to save the lives of innocent people. If you personally do not surrender, we attack. And if Poulton, we are defeated, not yet, Pasco. Maybe they'll get me, but I get Harding first. Get out of my way. What's your answer, Poulton? I'm coming. You men, clear out of my way. I did a bit wrong on my case. Which one of you was David Harding? I'm Harding, Poulton. Tell your men on this dock to drop their weapons. You drop that pistol. The light's not good here, Harding. Step out where I can see you better. With pleasure. But don't cry anything. There are five rifles aimed right at you. Can you see me clearly enough now? Yes. Do you know what you've done, Harding? You spoiled the biggest crime in history. Hijacking a whole country. It was well planned, Poulton. You wasted a good brain on a useless crime. Now be famous forever, Harding. For this scheme of yours... Yes. And also because I'll be the man who killed you. The rest of you men, surrender. He didn't hit you, did he, too? I threw myself aside to be fired. One bullet got me in the arm the last time. Who gets you to a doctor? No, it's a flesh wound. We can bind it up in a moment. I guess a little blood's a cheap price to pay for putting this fellow Poulton out of the way. Peter's what an amazing waste of ability. Tonight's Counter-Spy program originated in New York directed by Leonard L. Bass, dramatized by Paul R. Milton and featured Don McLaughlin and Mandel Kramer with music by Jesse Crawford.