The Cavalcade of America, presented by DuPont. A story of Jane Addams of Hull House. Starring the great American actress Helen Hayes in the role of Jane Addams. This broadcast of the Cavalcade of America originates in the auditorium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Where the General Federation of Women's Clubs is holding its annual council meeting. And in dedication to all the women of America who have devoted themselves to the welfare of humanity. And with Helen Hayes our star, Cavalcade pays tribute to the work of Jane Addams and the founding of her great social institution, the Jane Addams Hull House. In marked contrast to the story of Jane Addams is the old story of King Midas, who made a wish that everything he touched would turn to gold. When the wish was granted, Midas at first thought himself a very wealthy man. His till, his food and drink, and even his little daughter changed to gold at his touch. What is this thing called wealth anyway? Money has no value except for what it will buy. Real wealth consists of those things you can use and enjoy. Those things which contribute to man's comfort and happiness. The fact is that the average American is better off in the things that constitute real wealth than were the richest men in the world a relatively few years ago. King Solomon in all his glory didn't even have a toothbrush. Last year the University of Notre Dame, after studying the management of the household budget of the people of the United States, reported that man today, as a result of science and invention, is surrounded in his home by comfort unparalleled in the history of the world. Comfort for more people. The creation of real wealth, true wealth, by improving upon the gifts of nature, by creating new comforts for mankind from the forces that are found in the sunshine, the earth, and the water. This is a dream and the practical day's work of the chemists who are toiling in DuPont and other laboratories. The products of chemistry are in the house you live in, your icebox, your radio, your automobile, the clothes you wear, the dishes on your table, the books you read. DuPont chemists have contributed plastics to make many things you use, paints and finishes to beautify and protect your home and much in it, better yarns for clothing, better dyes for fabrics, and many other advancements that touch your daily lives. But the chemist is never satisfied. He knows that although we may think we're living in an age of wonders, it has really just begun. So as the chemist works, he thinks not only of today, but of the future. And by so doing, he helps fulfill the DuPont pledge, better things for better living, through chemistry. Helen Hayes as Jane Addams of Hull House in the cavalcade of America. In the town of Cedarville, Illinois, one spring night in the late 1870s, a boy and a girl walked arm in arm down a quiet residential street. The boy's name was Charles Carlton. The girl was Jane Addams. At the door of a substantial red brick mansion, they paused for a moment and Jane extended her hand. Good night, Charles, and thank you for a delightful evening. Jane, I... Yes, Charles? Oh, nothing. Silly bear. Jane! Good night, Charles. Well, Jane, eleven o'clock. I know, Father, it is late. But it's such a lovely spring evening. You want me to tell you all about the party? You like that Carlton shaft, don't you, Jane? If I marry, Charles will be the man, Father. If you marry, Jane will be... Oh, now, Father, don't try to rush me. You don't think I'm just a flirt, do you, Father? Why, of course I don't. I know you do well for that. In fact, I think I know what's on your mind now. What do you think it is, Father? I remember when you were a very little girl, Jane. We went for a walk through the section across the tracks. It was the first time you had ever seen the way poor people lived. I remember. The little houses. And people. So many people. And there was a little puzzled frown on your face, like the one you're wearing right now. Oh, well, Father? Jane, you and I have been very close to one another since your mother's death. I think I know what's best for your own good. You must give up these ideas, Jane. But I can't. I can't know that such injustice exists and not want to do something about it. Father, Abraham Lincoln was your friend. And I know you don't like to see such things any more than he would have. Abe Lincoln was a man. Oh. These things are not for women to concern themselves with. I have a better idea, Jane. How would you and Ellen like a trip to Europe this summer? Oh. And then, when you come back, if you still feel the same way about Carleton, we'll have a September wedding. A trip to Europe? Oh, Father, you are a darling. If well, it's past my bedtime. Awake me in time to see you off to school. Oh, I'll be up early, all right, to tell Ellen. Oh, Father, I do thank you. Oh, I'm so happy about the trip. It's going to be such a wonderful adventure. Oh, I'm down. All in row. All out. All in row. Oh. Shall we get down, Mr. Adams? Oh, yes, of course. I want to see it all. Be careful there. Well, this is it. You might call it the senior side of London. Look, Jane, the crowd of people around those carts. Huck, those carts. The poor come here to bid for food. Not a very pleasant sight, is it? Oh, the smell. That's not fresh food. And their hands, why do they hold their hands up like that? Well, you see, they haven't the money to buy. So the dealers throw out a rotten cabbage once in a while to thin out the crowd. Oh, that's horrible. Thank God we have nothing like this in America. Young lady, have you ever been in Halsted Street in Chicago? Why, no. Well, Miss Adams, you'll see things just as bad as this in Halsted Street. Music Halsted Street, Chicago, 1883. Ugly and sprawling, its head in the shipyards and its feet in the stockyards. Thirty-two miles of unreleased squalor and misery. Poles and Slovaks, Italians and Irish, crowded together. A dozen to a house built for a family of three. It was the shapeless core of an America yet to be born. The America of the melting pot of races and nationalities. The America of the 19th century sweatshop and its ally, the Ward Healer. Music Well, Mr. Siller, what's up? Just this, Regan. You run this ward. You know where this place, Hull House, is. What's it worth to kick that Adams woman and her crony out of it? What for? What's she doing to you? Stirring up trouble with the girls in my factory. Got them coming to me asking to work less hours. That don't do no harm, does it? Well, I'm telling you, she's putting ideas in their heads. Next thing you know, they'll be wanting more money. They think they can live soft, hang around Hull House. Ideas, Regan, dangerous ideas. Eh, he's right, boss. We're losing votes because of her, too. Why didn't you tell me that before, Callahan? Oh, honest, boss, I didn't know it was important. These two women moving to Hull House. Saloon on one side and Mamie Clarks on the other. We thought it was charity-like. But it ain't only charity. She's giving them ideas, too, like Siller said. And them ideas ain't doing us no good. How long's this thing been going on? Long enough. That's what the landlords are going to tell you, too. She's back at the tenants complaining about the rent and the stairways being broken. I get it. What I don't get is why. Why does she care? She don't have to live down here. Search me, boss. All I know is she does care. Plenty. Listen, there's only one thing anybody really cares about, Callahan. And I figure she must be getting pretty low on cash. I think we can get her there. Sure, boss. All right. Send her a ton of coal, see? Fix her taxes or something. You know, get her on our side. Then we start suggesting things, huh? Won't work, boss. I'm telling you, we've got to get busy right now. That's big talk. With whom are you going to get busy, Mr. Callahan? Oh, why, Miss Adams, we were just talking about you. Oh. Hey, Joe, get up a beer for Miss Adams. Oh, no, thank you. I wanted to talk to you about a few problems in the neighborhood. Well, I'm the man to talk to about that, Miss Adams. Oh. I know this neighborhood inside out. Do you really, Mr. Regan? I do. Do you know about the bales of oily rags stored in the basement of 2840? And the broken fire escape in the rear house of 2718? Do you know about the unquarantined cases of smallpox in Mr. Murphy's house? Well, in a city as big as Chicago, Miss Adams, and a section as crowded as this ward, everything can't be taken care of. I'm afraid I don't agree with you, Mr. Regan. In fact, I'd like to tell you about a plan I have. Why don't you come to Hall House tomorrow? Always willing to talk things over, Miss Adams. Good. Then I'll expect you. Well, I'm a thrush now. Good night, gentlemen. Good night, Miss Adams. Good night, Miss Adams. Wow. Well, you go her up again, boss. Huh. I do. But two can play at that game, and here's where I play the ace. Callahan, grab a hack and go down to the free press. Go to the front office. Tell the old man I sent her. Jane, have you seen the morning papers? Why, no, Charles, I didn't have time. Well, here is the ironically named free press. A front-page editorial and a cartoon of me. Why, Charles, I didn't know Hall House was that important. Jane, that editorial means the end of Hall House. But how can it? It's addressed to the workers of this ward. It says you've been meddling in the affairs of the working people down here, and the employers are going to see they lose their jobs as a result. Oh. Jane, it isn't safe for you to stay here any longer. I've come to take you away. No, Charles, this is my home, and it isn't only my home, it's the home of those children in there. Don't you see? Jane, these people only understand one language, the language of stones and riots. You'll be injured physically if you stay on here at Hall House. Please come with me now. No, Charles, I won't. Jane, I'm warning you. You're heading for trouble. Trouble? Thank you, Charles. I'm not worried about myself. Jane? Yes, Ellen? You hear that noise? Yes. I wonder what it is. Jane, come to the window quick. What is it, Ellen? They're coming up Halted Street this way. They'll get a parade. I'll sit here and kneel in our stewardship and set the laid if you will, coming around as presents and all the time stealing the very light we put out from under our noses. Why, Mrs. O'Brien, you said yesterday that I was your friend. You told me that the Irish never turn on a friend. Do you remember that? Not on a friend the Irish won't turn, but on a Judas. Why don't you mind your own business? Oh, please, all of you, will you listen to me? Oh, what are we going to hear? What more are we going to hear? Get out of there. We're coming in. Listen, listen, you've got to listen. You're angry at me because of something someone has said. You've condemned me without a trial. Why, why? Have I ever broken a promise to you? Can't you see I'm trying to help you? Oh, please, please go to your homes now. Oh, please, oh, don't break the house. It's your house. Don't you understand? It's your house. Jane, Jane, it's no use. Come on, Jane, you'll be hurt. Let's get out of here. Ellen. Come on, Jane. What are we waiting for? Break in the door. Jane. Yes, John? I'm sorry, sorry for you. I know what whole house meant to you. I don't understand it. It wasn't mine. It was their house. Jane, listen, they don't want to be helped. They want to be left alone. They didn't do this because they hate me, Charles. Not those people. They were led into it by the men who want to drive me out. Oh, I'm not through, Charles. I'll rebuild whole house if it takes me the rest of my life. That's utterly impossible, and you know it. Charles. I'm sorry, Jane. Why don't you admit the obvious? The obvious, that's just what I do admit. These people need help. That's why there's got to be a whole house. And everybody in town's laughing at you. Everybody, Charles? Jane. Charles, will you help me? Will you? All right, Jane, I will. If we could get support from the important people. Whole house needs friends now more than ever. Charles, you're a member of the Manufacturers Association here. Yes. Would they, would they let me talk to them? Could you arrange that, Charles? I could. Oh. Oh, yes, I see, of course. It would hurt you in their eyes if I came to them through you. I'll see that you'll get a hearing, Jane. I thank you, Charles. I know you'll never fail me. Gentlemen of the Manufacturers Association, the meeting will now be addressed by Miss Jane Adams. Miss Adams, please. Thank you. Gentlemen, when I first came to Chicago, I believed with Abraham Lincoln in the innate reasonableness of the common people. I also believed in the innate reasonableness of the employing class. I believed that if actual abuses were pointed out to them, they would do what was in their power to correct them. Miss Adams, will you excuse the interruption? Certainly, Mr. Chairman. A question has just been sent up to the Chair. Ask Miss Adams whom she represents. I represent Hull House. What does Hull House represent? It represents every man, woman, and child in the 20th Ward. It should in turn represent every man here, but it apparently doesn't. It certainly doesn't. Gentlemen, you don't have to try to make this experience any more painful than it is. What I want to say to you is this. One of the men in this room is working a 10-year-old child from 15 to 18 hours a day. What is he going to do about it? One of the men in this room is paying a child who is going blind five cents a day to do fine sewing in a dark room. What is he going to do about it? One of the men in this room is heating a textile factory with oil stoves, the floor covered with inflammable material, and there are 40 girls working in that factory. That's none of your business, Miss Adams. Oh, thank you for speaking up, sir. I ask you, what are you going to do about it? There are hundreds of factories like yours where girls are working under those dangers. What if a fire breaks out? If Miss Adams wants fire escapes, why doesn't she go to the philanthropic real estate board? Oh, gentlemen, gentlemen, this is America. I can't believe that you, with every advantage, can be so short-sighted, so even cold-blooded. People are starving. Well, Miss Adams, when it comes to charity, I don't think you'll find us as cold-blooded as you think. I move, gentlemen, the association advance Miss Adams a check as an indication of our cooperation. Say a check for $100. I thought any intelligent person would see my point. I'm afraid I was mistaken. I see you misunderstand me, gentlemen. Goodbye. Hello, Ellen. Why, Jane, you're back early. They simply won't listen. Ellen, how much money have we left? What's the balance? Oh, it's all right. Ellen, I want to know. Well, Jane, we haven't any money, not a penny. But Ellen, what about that Russian woman? She stopped the check. Frightened by the publicity. Terrible things the papers have been saying. Yes, they'll all be the same way, I guess, now. It's no use, Ellen. We've done everything we can. Hall House is closing. There's a gentleman outside to see you, Miss Adams. All right, have him come in. This way, sir. Thank you. Miss Adams, I'm a member of the Manufacturers Association. I heard you speak at the meeting. Oh, I remember. You were the friendly face. You see, I knew what you were talking about. I was born in this neighborhood. It was most discouraging. Well, it needn't have been. I've got you some friends, and here are their calling cards. Checks? But enormous checks. That's just the beginning. Every decent businessman in Chicago, and there are a lot of them, is going to be rooting for you by the time I get through with them. Then we'll start on the politicians. Oh, yes. You're so very good. This will help so much. Well, they don't know it yet, but I've already made out their next month's checks, except for the signatures, and therefore double these amounts. Ellen. Yes? Ellen, wake up. Wake up. There's a fire somewhere. Fire? Yes, get up, Ellen. Come look. Sky's so red. You know what it is? No. It's still a factory. Get your clothes on, Ellen. I'll call the handsome cab. We're going out there. All right, all right. Stand back, everybody. Keep outside the rope there. I'm Miss Adams, the color house officer. Why do you matter so much to me? I'm sorry, Miss Adams. My orders are to make no exceptions. The building's due to crash any minute now. But the firemen, they're not doing anything. They're just standing there. Well, there ain't nothing they can do, lady. Them girls are out of their misery now anyway. All right, everybody. Move away now. Quick. They're giving way. Stand back. Right there. Good morning, Mr. Regan. Good morning, Miss Adams. May I come in? Yes. I was expecting you. You've read about the terrible tragedy at Stiller's factory. Yes. 40 girls, burned to death. It's shocking, Miss Adams. Shocking. Yes, Mr. Regan. It must never happen again. We must find out who's responsible. Not always easy to do that, Miss Adams. Start an investigation. Somebody must go to prison for this. We've got to make an example. Stiller, of course. But you can't always pin things on people. No, I suppose not. Just the same somebody's going to take the blame for this. Well, I'll certainly use all my influence to help you there. Mr. Regan, I was there last night. Oh. I had the facts. I saw that fire hose break. Why did it break? Because it was no good. Who pocketed the money that would buy a good one? You did. Wait a minute, now. I saw firemen struggling with a ladder that wouldn't work either. You had taxpayers' money to equip that firehouse. You didn't. Now look here. You were responsible for the deaths of those girls. You've got a wrong slant on this whole thing, Miss Adams. If I thought there was one word of truth in what you say, I'd spend the rest of my days making it right. You're going to start by handing in your resignation. Mr. Siller is going to start by going to prison. And there's going to be a change in Chicago, Mr. Regan. I'll see these people won't have to suffer much longer. There's going to be a law to protect the working people of this state from greed and selfishness, and the designs of those who are laughingly called their betters. The labor bill is ready for your signature, Governor. Very well. I'll sign it now. Well, Miss Adams, you should be very proud today. I want to congratulate you, Governor, and thank you for all the help you've given us. I congratulate you, Miss Adams. You are really the one who is responsible for these new laws regulating labor in Illinois. President Roosevelt will see you now, Miss Adams. Will you come in, please? Thank you. Miss Adams, delighted to meet you. Thank you, Mr. President. So you think women should have the vote, eh? Yes, Mr. President, I do. And I think all America will be feeling that way soon. Have you been a suffragette long, Miss Adams? Voting is a human right for everybody, Mr. President, and for human rights always, sir. Well, Miss Adams, I haven't quite made up my mind. There are some bully good arguments in favor of it, all right? Of course, you are one of the best arguments yourself. Miss Adams? Yes, what is it? The report you do outside. Shall I have them come in? Oh, yes, oh, yes, by all means. This way, please. Yes. Well, well, how do you do? Miss Adams, we came down here to Howe House to congratulate you on your birthday and get an interview, too. Well, no special wisdom comes at seventy. I think it can only be secured through adjustment to a changing world. How about women in politics, Miss Adams? Oh, I'm in favor of them. Women bring a necessary understanding to humanitarian problems. I suppose it's because they're closer to them. I think their viewpoint will improve living conditions all over the country. Any statement on your Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Miss Adams? Well, that's what interests me most, especially now. A world education for peace. We must continue to unite all our efforts in that direction. It is the only way we will ever be able to have a permanent peace in the world. Ladies and gentlemen, the Minister from Sweden, Miss Jane Adams. Miss Adams, my sovereign has bestowed on me a great honor. It is awarding to you the great accolade of the people of Sweden. You are being awarded this tribute in their name, for, like you, they are dedicated to the principles of peace among nations. Therefore, Miss Adams, I award you in the name of Sweden, the Nobel Prize for Peace. Thank you. Thank you. I receive this award for all men and women who find in service to their fellow man the highest expression of God. No one stands alone in the battle for human rights. Progress is not automatic. The world grows better because people wish that it should and take the right steps to make it better. It is only in sharing the sorrows of humanity that we know the full joy of possessing our whole humanity. For all stand equal in the shadow of the grave wherein no man calls his brother lord or master. So are we lifted up together above our petty differences into an encompassing sense of unity. The cavalcade of America honors the great kind spirit of Jane Adams of Hull House. Thank you, Helen Hayes. And now we present Mrs. Sadie Orr Dunbar, president of the General Federation of Women's Clubs. On behalf of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, I wish to express our appreciation to the DuPont Company, to Ms. Hayes, Dr. Monahan of Yale University, and all who have shared in making this occasion a memorable one. We are particularly grateful that this evening's program honors the great humanitarian Jane Adams, founder of Hull House. We of the General Federation find added inspiration in the thought that we share our 50th anniversary with Hull House and have received renewed faith in our own slogan, Adjusting Democracy for Human Welfare, and the inspiring story we have heard tonight of one of the greatest women of all time, Jane Adams. Thank you, Mrs. Dunbar. And here is the cavalcade of America's historian, Dr. Frank Monahan of Yale University, who will tell us about next week's program. Next week, cavalcade brings you a musical picture of a vanished era, the glamorous and lively days of the 90s, when Midwestern America, robust, colorful, and romantic, typified the dynamic maturity of a powerful and full-grown nation. Then there was a fabulous and carefree life in the Mississippi, the days of the river steamboats, the side wheelers and the stern wheelers, the melodies, and the tears and the laughter of the old river showboat. In the American theater, the great musical play, Showboat, has already become a tradition. Next week, cavalcade of America will present Showboat with music by Jerome Kern, the book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, second, and founder on the novel by Edna Ferber. Our listeners tonight will be interested to know that a motion picture on the life of Jane Addams of Holthouse, starring Irene Dunn, is soon to be produced by Charles R. Rogers of Columbia Pictures, to whom we are deeply grateful for cooperation and research in preparing our broadcast. The orchestra and the original musical effects in the cavalcade of America are in the direction of Don Voorhees. In closing, we would once again like to invite all of our listeners to visit DuPont's Wonder World of Chemistry exhibit at the World's Fair of New York, where you can see firsthand some of the many things chemistry is creating for better living. This is Basil Rysdale saying best wishes from DuPont.
