 This is C.P. McGregor speaking and welcoming you to another performance of Proudly We Hail, your War Department program. Through the courtesy of the Hollywood Coordinating Committee, we present Mr. Vincent Price, the star of our play, 7900 Empire State, written by Richard Hall with music by Eddie Skravanik. We're in a business as a private investigator and you get phone calls. And each one is like a box of cracker jack with a surprise inside. At least that's what Hilary Thorne was thinking as he got off the elevator on the 79th floor of the Empire State Building and walked to the office as Mark 7900. Is Mr. Devere in? I'm Hilary Thorne. Oh yes, he's waiting for you this way please. Thanks. Mr. Devere? Mr. Thorne is here. Oh, you're Mr. Thorne. Sit down, won't you? Oh thanks, Mr. Devere. So hey, this is some office you've got here. Thank you. I must say it was very kind of you to answer my telephone calls so quickly. If I didn't do that, Mr. Devere, there'd soon be a for rent sign on my place over on 56th Street. What can I do for you? I own a very valuable diamond, the Jota Diamond. You may have heard of it. No, I haven't. I guess I don't get around enough. Well, I thought you might have heard some of the stories told about it. At any rate, Thorne, I want to move the Jota Diamond from the bank vault to my home. I see. And you called me because you want to make sure it gets there. Exactly. You see, the Jota is very heavily insured. To answer the insurance requirements and to protect myself, I must exercise reasonable precaution whenever the stone is moved. You think that I'm reasonable enough precaution, Mr. Devere? I know your reputation. All right, Mr. Devere. Where'll I meet you? The security bank on Park Avenue tomorrow morning at 10. Good night. By the way, what are the stories they tell about the Jota Diamond? It has been said that there's a curse on the Diamond. Great danger to everyone who possesses it. You sort of living on borrowed time, aren't you, Mr. Devere? Of course. I will understand that I do not possess the Jota Diamond. I'm merely owner. Matter of fact, I'd like to sell it. Interested? No, I don't think so, Mr. Devere, but thanks for the compliment. I'll see you at the bank at 10. Well, hello, Thorn. We're all ready to go. You have the Diamond? Yes. Oh, uh, this is Mr. Andrews of the insurance company. Howdy, dear Mr. Thorn. I've heard and read a great deal about you. Thanks. You're here as a little precautionary measure yourself, I take it. Well, yes, but actually I don't think it'll be necessary for me to make the trip to the house. You don't think so, Andrews? If all I hear about Mr. Thorn is true. Say, I should hire you to write my publicity, Mr. Andrews. Yeah, that's right. Goodbye, sir. Goodbye. I have a cab right over here, Mr. Devere. Oh, all right. Wait a minute, Thorn. There's a man standing beside the cab. Oh, him? Oh, that's just my assistant, Dooley Edwards. Dooley, this is Mr. Devere. Ah, glad to know you, Mr. Devere. Oh, thank you. Say, haven't I met you somewhere before? Well, you couldn't prove it by me. No. Well... Well, shall we go? Yes. What's the address, Mr. Devere? 4720 Westmoreland, Long Island. Hey, the boss was telling me about the curse on that diamond he was, Mr. Devere. He was? Yeah. Dangerous to own it, huh? Huh. That's really something. Just a legend. Just a lot of nonsense. Hey, driver, look out! Take it easy up there, driver. Oh, gosh. You know, maybe there's something to that curse business. No, Dooley. It's just a legend. Just a lot of nonsense. Thank you, gentlemen. That was really a very uneventful trip. Yeah. Say, Mr. Devere, could we maybe take a look at the diamond before we go? What? Oh, yes, of course. Oh, boy. There it is. What do you think of it? Geez, that's some rock. Yeah. Some rock. Could I hold it a minute, Mr. Devere? What? Of course, here. Gosh, this'll be something to tell my grandchildren. All right, Dooley. Put it back in the box. Oh, must I? Well, thanks again, Gordon. I'm very glad to have the diamond safely home. Glad to help you, Mr. Devere. Come on, Dooley. Dooley, how about it? Boss, that diamond's a phony. You sure? I didn't grade diamonds for five years for nothing. I know. How do you like that? Well, I don't know what Devere's up to, but if he's up to what I think he's up to, the insurance company will pay a hatful for this little bit of information. We pause briefly from our story, 7900 Empire State Building starring Vincent Price to bring you an important message for Mr. John R. Nichols, Dean of the University of Idaho, Southern Branch, who recently stated... The Present Army Recruiting Campaign is emphasizing the educational benefits available to young men in the new regular army. These benefits should appeal especially to high school seniors for several reasons. First, under the extended GI Bill of Rights, a young man may enlist for a three-year period and, upon discharge, be entitled to 48 months of college or university training all at government expense. Second, during his army service, the young soldier may accelerate his college education by taking courses through the United States Armed Forces Institute. Schools throughout the country allow credit for this type of study. Colleges and universities all over the country are overcrowded. It will not be long before all the accredited schools will be filled with capacity. However, when those who volunteer now for service in the regular army return to civilian life, the nation's educational facilities, which are being expanded, will be able to take care of all who can qualify. As an educator and as a former private in the army, I am happy to endorse these outstanding benefits of service in the new regular army. You may obtain complete information about your educational opportunities in the new regular army at your nearest army recruiting station. And now, act two of our story, 7900 Empire State, starring Vincent Price as Hilary Thorn. Hilary Thorn sat tight on his important bit of information, waiting, and he didn't have to wait long. Ex-tree, ex-tree, famous Joda Diamond stolen. Ex-tree. Hey, Dooley, where are you, Dooley? What's up, boss? What's up? Don't you read the papers? Well, it's happened. Get this. In one of the most spectacular robberies of recent years, Burglars broke into the home of Mr. Albert DeVere last night and stole the famous Joda Diamond. What? Yeah. DeVere framed it, Dooley, and he doesn't know it, but he also framed himself. Now we gotta move fast. Okay, boss. Tell DeVere and don't lose it. Right, boss. And call me here in an hour. Where you going? Me? I'm going to make a certain insurance company. Very happy. Well, well, come in, Mr. Thorn. Oh, thank you. I guess you heard about the Joda Diamond. Yeah, that was quite a thing, wasn't it? My company, of course, is extremely upset. Needless to say, it was a very valuable storm. However, I prefer to think the criminals will be apprehended. Would you be interested in working on this, Mr. Thorn? I have been working on it, Mr. Andrews, and I have it all worked out. Uh, this is hardly the time for jokes, Mr. Thorn. I'm serious. Mr. Andrews, what would you say if I told you the Diamond I delivered to DeVere's home the other day was not the Joda Diamond, but a cheap imitation? Well, why, that's incredible. Incredible, but true. Well, how do you know? DeVere made a mistake. He showed the Diamond to my assistant the day we took it out to the house. My assistant graded Diamonds for five years. Well, that's incredible. I've known the man so long, and I saw him take the Diamond from the vault at the bank. Well, Mr. Thorn, I can't tell you how grateful I am. And if what you tell me is true, this information will be very worth your while. DeVere, this is Andrews. We're in trouble. What's wrong? Did you show the Diamond to Thorn the other day? Oh, yes, but... I'll be over at your office in ten minutes. Andrews, please, smoke. Are DeVere and Andrews still there? Yeah, I'm waiting for them. Well, don't wait any longer. They may get lost. Get out to the airport before they do. Call Lieutenant Donovan down at headquarters. Tell him what you know. Tell him you need help. We've got to stop them there. Hurry. The Empire State Building, as fast as you can make it. But you're wanted on the phone. Mr. Dooley Edward. Right here, sir. Thanks. Hello? Yeah, boss. I hope you've enjoyed our proudly-we-hailed story starring Vincent Price. Before leaving you, I'm pleased to present Major General Anthony C. McAuliffe, Army Secretary of the Joint Research and Development Board, who is an important message for all of us. General McAuliffe. To date, your new regular army is composed of more men than have ever before voluntarily joined any army at any one time, any place in the world. However, our needs are for increasing numbers of volunteers so as to achieve an established strength of 1,070,000 men by July 1947. In order to maintain an army force of this size, an estimated replenishment of 35 to 40,000 new volunteers and re-enlistees each month will be required to replace those who, for one reason or another, are separated from the service. This is a need which must be met. The Army Volunteer Recruiting Program has two major objectives. First, to meet the increasing need for large numbers of already technically trained men, and secondly, to acquire alert, highly intelligent young men capable of being trained to handle equipment and material of the new regular army. Principal reasons for joining the new regular army, as stated by volunteers themselves, include a high take-home pay in the army compared to civilian jobs, especially since the passage of the new pay bill. The new monthly pay for a private is $75 cash, up to $165 for a master or first sergeant in addition to free clothing, food, lodging, medical and dental care, 20% increase in pay for overseas service, 50% increase for flying or glider crew members, 5% increase for each three years of service and liberal retirement privileges. There are also army trade and technical training facilities, a chance to travel. The choice of an 18 month, two or three year enlistment with three year enlistees allowed their choice of branch of service or overseas theater wherever possible. Before making a final decision about the future, I urge every young man between 17 and 34 to investigate the facts about the many fine opportunities that await you in America's new regular army. Thank you, General McCullough. Our thanks also to Mr. Vincent Price for appearing on this program. Proudly we hail, we'll come to you again over this station next week. Listen in.