The DuPont Cavalcade of America, starring Henry Ponder. Tonight, the DuPont Company brings you Of Such Is the Kingdom, starring Henry Ponder on the Cavalcade of America. Now, Of Such Is the Kingdom, starring Henry Ponder as James E. West on the Cavalcade of America. Please, mister, let me alone, please. Come on, come on, kid, what'd you get tossed in the houskau for? I didn't do nothing. You look like a bright kid. Come on, come on, tell us what you did. Come on. They, they said I stole a automobile. Ah, now don't go bawling. So you got caught, what about it? Listen, kid, swiping a automobile's a good start, but getting caught is something else again. Let me alone. Listen, when you get out, you come to see me, Wally Collins. I'll learn you some tricks so you won't get caught so easy. I can use a smart kid like you. Collins, get away from that kid. I'll go soak your head. One more smart trick like that and I'll turn the hose on all of you. Mr. West, there's the kid. Get him out of there, constable. Get him out? That's what I said, get him out of there. Now, wait a minute, Mr. West. He's the kid that stole your automobile. That's got to be proved first. You pick him up without hearing his story. Then you shove him in this filthy cage with a bunch of criminals. Maybe you think here we should have put him in the bridal suit at the Willard Hotel. All right, all right. You're not to blame, but get that boy out of there. I'll be responsible and see that he turns up in magistrate's court. The year shortly after the turn of the century, the place, Washington, D.C. Later that same day, James E. West appeared before the magistrate and heard the charge against the boy. Mr. West, this boy, Joe, is charged with stealing your automobile. That's right, your honor. And yet you're going to act as his counsel? Yes, sir. Well, it's rather unusual, but proceed. Joe, come here. I'm going to ask you a question, and I want the truth, understand? Yes, sir. Did you steal my automobile? No, sir, I didn't. Thanks, Joe. Your honor, I was... Now, hold on a minute. Constable. Yes, sir. Your honor. You were in Mr. West's car, didn't you? Yes, sir. And six blocks away from where you said you'd left it, Mr. West. The boy says he didn't steal it. I believe him. Oh, he's lying. I am not. I ain't lying. You be quiet, young man. How old are you? Fifteen, sir. Fifteen. Mr. West, I admire your attitude trying to help this boy. But if you sat on this bench day after day, if you saw the young scamps that come in here day after day... Yes, your honor, day after day. Why? Mr. West, I am not the one to give reason for juvenile delinquency. I judge the cases as they come before me. Yes, I know you're not to blame. All right, let's get back to this case. The boy was found in your car, blocks from where you'd left it. That's right, your honor. Did Joe ever admit stealing it? No kid that comes in here ever did anything. To hear him talk, they're all little angels. But there could be an exception. We're wasting time. My calendar's full. I'm behind schedule already, Mr. West. This is a simple routine, sign the complaint against the boy and... It's not that simple, your honor. Sir, I've been patient. But I warn you that you'll be held in contempt. I'll risk that, your honor. But it's still not simple. My signature on that complaint would mean Joe would be locked up, as he was this morning in a cage with adults, men who've been criminals for years. He'd be subjected to all their viciousness, all their accumulated rot and filth. He wasn't bad before, he'd be when he got out. No, Mr. West. I was in 1904, but I went back 200 years when I saw those prisoners in that cage this morning. Be careful, Mr. West. We've all got to be careful. Careful of these kids. The boy stole your auto. I'm not so sure, your honor. Constable. Yes, sir. Joe was in the auto. He was? Joe, why were you in the automobile? I just wanted to see what it was like. I've never been in an automobile. It looked like fun, so I got in. It was so much fun that he had it six blocks away. Joe, how did you get that far? Well, some other kids came along and gave me a push. Listen to that. But you didn't start the engine, did you, Joe? No, sir, I didn't. Your honor, do you have an automobile? What's that got to do with this? Please, do you have one? I had one of the first in the city. Good. How do you start it? Well, with the starter plug. Do you leave it in your automobile? Of course not. Neither do I. Here's mine. Joe couldn't have started my auto, and I submit that he couldn't have pushed himself those six blocks. Constable, was the engine running when you picked the boy up? He could have turned it off. But he couldn't have started it without the plug. It's a fishy story. I think it's the truth, don't you, your honor? From the evidence, yes. But it doesn't alter the fact that he was sitting in your car. Your honor, automobiles are new. Maybe you and I would have done the same thing. Get in, sit behind the tiller, pretend, daydream. Oh, perhaps, Mr. West. I think that's all it was, your honor. Well, all right. Joe, I hope you appreciate what Mr. West has done for you. Oh, yes, sir, I do. All right, case dismissed. Can I go home now? I'll go with you, Joe. And thanks, your honor. One moment, Mr. West. Yes, sir? There were times when you forgot the dignity of the court. I shouldn't advise a repetition of your performance this afternoon. Your honor, something tells me I've just started. Mr. West, you can let me out here. I'll walk the rest of the way. What's the matter? Don't you like riding in my auto? Oh, gee, it's swell, but my mom and pop will be worried about me. That case will get you home quicker. Please, Mr. West, I don't want them to know what happened. Well, Joe, aren't they going to wonder where you were? I'll go along and explain the whole thing. You got to let me out here, Mr. West. You just got to. Huh? What's the matter? Nothing. Nothing, Mr. West. Only my mom and pop. What about them? Why don't you want me to see them? Because I... I... Oh, please, don't go with me. I want to go with you, Joe, because I want to ask them something. I want to... Well, borrow you. Borrow me? What do you mean? You'll see. Now, where do we turn? Joe, I asked you a question. I... I ain't going to tell you. Now, look, Sonny, I'm trying to help you. I did help, but I want to do more. And you can help me. I'll do anything you want me to, Mr. West. I'll go any place with you, but... What are you afraid of? I ain't got no mom. What? No pop either. Is that the truth, Joey? Yeah. Where do you live, Joe? Los Angeles. Los Angeles? Los Angeles. Los Angeles. Los Angeles. Los Angeles. Los Angeles. Los Angeles. Los Angeles. Los Angeles. Where do you live, Joe? Look, a city orphanage. Why didn't you tell me the truth? I didn't mean to lie, Mr. West. I just like to pretend. Like I had a mom and pop. Like I had a home the way other kids do. I hate living at the orphanage, Mr. West. Look at me, Sonny. Are you ashamed of it? You ain't never been teased by kids at school. You ain't never been joked at. Go on, Joey. You don't know what it's like not to have no mom or pop. To live in an orphan asylum. Let me out of here. I want to go. Wait. Please, Mr. West. Joey, that big central staircase in the orphanage, are the steps still pretty hard to keep clean? Yeah, but... And the big window in the hall. That tree outside still poke in when the leaves come in the spring? How... How do you know all that? Joey, I lived in that orphanage till I was 18. Hot chocolate will be ready in a minute, Jim. Thanks. Smells good. You didn't mind my bringing Joey here, did you, Marion? Of course not, poor youngster. He looks as though he's been put through a wringer. He's sleeping now. Well, we'll take him back to the orphanage as soon as he wakes up and has something to eat. Marion, I'm not going to take him back. Not yet. But, Jim... Sit down a minute. Listen to me. What is it? I got to wondering about kids. Kids like Joey. How many of them are there like him? Thousands. But the orphanage is... But they do all they can, sure. But take a kid like Joey. He's lonely, maybe knocked around. Full of dreams that get stopped before they're started. So one day he climbs into an automobile just to pretend. Some other kids come along and to them it's funny to give Joey a push. And Joey ends up accused of being a thief. But, Jim, that's all cleared up now. Joe's all right. Look, how many Joys are there we don't know about. A kid pulls a prank that ends up... Well, not so funny after all. He's arrested. Comes up at an adult court in front of a judge whose calendar is crowded who has to judge by the evidence. You can't blame the judge then. I didn't say that, dear. But if there's nobody to take the kid's part, he's sentenced. Treated the same as a man of 40 or 50. Yeah, I see. And by the time the kid's 40 or 50, he's been pushed around enough to feel that everybody's against him. There's your criminal. I know that. Jim, but what can you do? What can anybody do about it? Fight that kind of thing. Exactly what I'm going to do. Oh. What's the matter, darling? Jim, you've studied so hard to become a lawyer. You fought your way to where you are now. You're just getting a practice started. You can't let anything stop you. I thought we... We're going to be married? Yes. Is there anything to stop us? No. I'll need help marrying and encouragement. Mine? More than anyone's. Jim, did I sound a little selfish before? No, sure not. If I did it, it's because I love you. I'll marry you any time you want, Jim. Jim, is that you? Ah, it's me, darling. How's Mrs. West? I'm fine, dear, but I thought you were never coming home. It was a long day. Darling, you look tired. I am. Tramping into offices, seeing people, talking, talking, talking, getting no place. Getting no encouragement. I suppose they don't even listen. Oh, they listen all right. Lawyers, judges, they agree, but they can't do anything either. The courts are set up to handle all cases. Establishing a special court would take new laws. That would take a long time. I know. Maybe it's a losing fight, Miriam. No, no, it's not. I'm afraid you married a man who's a dreamer. No, I didn't, Jim. I married a man who was going to the top. Please, darling, don't be discouraged. To the top. It's a long climb, and I don't... And what? What are we going to say? Miriam, the top. There's one who will listen, who will help me if anyone can. You've gone to everyone. You've driven yourself into a... No, there's one more. Miriam, help me write a letter right now. But dinner's ready. Dinner can wait. Help me write this letter. To whom, Jim? To the President, Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. West, I've read your letter several times. I'm delighted to speak to you. Thanks, Mr. President. I wrote you about Joy, a boy who might have ended up a criminal in a few years' time because of a prank. But he didn't, Mr. West. I know, but Joy was lucky, sir. Lots of kids his age aren't. Mm-hmm. I've visited court after court, Mr. President. They're crowded with children like Joy who need individual attention. They mustn't be thrown in with a common run of lawbreakers, older men... Just a moment. I want to ask you a question before you go any further. What is it, sir? Don't you believe there are bad children? That's a hard question, sir, but suppose the child is bad. Why don't we learn why? What made him that way? Mm-hmm. How? Well, sir, right now our courts can't give individual attention to children. They haven't got the time to go back and find out what made a kid steal a bicycle or break a window or any one of a dozen other things that bring the child into court. But then your point is that we should have specialized procedure, a special court for juveniles. That's it, sir, where a kid can talk, talk without getting confused, all mixed up, because he's hurried through and it's not the judge's fault. And, Mr. West, a court such as you suggest would mean new laws. Laws we need, sir. Congress adjourns in a week. There are a hundred bills to push through already. But, Mr. President, we can't afford to ignore this problem any longer. It'll grow and grow. Yes, I know. Mr. West, when I was young, I was sickly, weak. I fought to overcome my handicaps, but there were people who helped me, and now it's my chance. We'll set up a children's court right here and now in the District of Columbia. Make it a model for the rest of the country. Right now? You mean now? You want it action? Well, you'll get it. It's a bully idea. Oh, by the way, your law business, Mr. West, is it good? I just started and what I'm doing sort of sidetracked me, but now that it's settled, I'll... You'll go right on. Mr. West, that court will need a judge. You're just the man for it. Judge of the new children's court. You are listening to Of Such Is the Kingdom, starring Henry Fonda as James E. West on the cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. James E. West, believing that juvenile delinquents are a special problem, convinced President Theodore Roosevelt that a special juvenile court is needed. As the second part of our story opens, it is some time later. Marion, Jim's wife, is speaking to a visitor in their home, Mr. Theodore Dreiser, the editor of Delineator Magazine. If Jim had only known you were coming, Theodore... So it'll be a surprise for him, Marion. He's late tonight. He's late every night. He's working hard on this, isn't he? His whole heart and soul are wrapped up in it. Well, soon it'll be Judge West. Oh, I hope so, for his sake. Well, it's practically certain. My magazine received a copy of the announcement. That's why I wanted to talk with Jim and see if we... Oh, that's Jim now. Jim, come in here, dear. Right away. Oh, he looks tired. Hello, darling. You look... Theodore Dreiser. Hello, Jim. I mean, Judge West. Congratulations, Judge. Hmm. Darling, tell me what's the matter? Nothing. Just a little premature. What are you talking about? I didn't get the appointment, Marion. Oh, no. But it was practically certain, Jim. Roosevelt wanted you. We all knew that. I guess something happened. Oh, Jim. The only job I wanted badly enough to grovel for it. All my life I worked for the day I could do something for the kids and I... Never mind. How's the magazine coming, Theodore? Oh, fine, fine. Come on. Don't look so glum. The juvenile court's going in. That's really what I wanted. What'll you do now, Jim? Practice law. Jim, you're not going to give up, are you? The appointment's been made. I don't mean that. There are still kids to help. I know. I wonder if you two ever knew why I worked so hard. Because you were an orphan yourself. Sure, but that's just a phrase, Marion. Theodore, it's hard for anyone else to understand. What do you mean, Jim? You sit down in a restaurant and suddenly you remember being hungry. You walk down the street and watch kids playing in front of their homes. And you remember the orphanage. You remember the rest of the kids with you. Sad little old men and women. I was one of them. Forget it now, Jim. It's all over. For me, yes. But not for the other kids. I want to get them out of it. Make them believe they're wanted. Make them make somebody want them. That's it. Jim. What? Can you write that the way you said it? What? Write a series of articles for the delineator and I'll print them. You mean that, Theodore? Absolutely. Sure. Sure, put the fact in front of the people. Tell them. Make them feel those kids. The real cure for juvenile delinquency shouldn't come in the courtroom. That might be too late. That's right, Jim. Marion, will you help me? You know I will, Jim. We'll have to let a lot of other things slide by. We won't be making money. But we'll be happy. Start now, Jim, tonight. Why not? Come on, Marion, we got work to do. You've been reading those delineator articles? Yes, I have. They'll tear your heart out. They sure do. A home for every child and a child in every home. Why, that's wonderful. Yes, it certainly is. Why don't we do something about those poor children? Here, read this newest article. I tell you, this man West knows what he's talking about. Jim, three months of these articles and we've got the whole country talking about your idea. Now I'm going to the top again, to the President. I've been reading your articles, Jim. They're great. Marion and I worked hard on them, Mr. Roosevelt. And now, what next? Mr. President, how much does Congress spend on the care and study of animals? Animals? What's that got to do with your work? Just this, sir. We spend millions on cattle, but not one cent on the care and study of children. That makes us sound like a nation of fools. No, sir, we're careless, that's all. We think because we live in the greatest country in the world, we can afford to sit back and say, sure, everything's all right, everything's fine. But it isn't. But what's on your mind? A conference on child welfare. Look, Jim, what you're doing is bullying. But there are a million things right now. Forest conservation, Bureau of Fisheries, oil reserves, minerals, everything coming up at once. Forest, fish, minerals, oil. What good are they if our children are shoved aside? There are real assets, the only one's worth counting. You're right, Jim. Mr. President, you gave me action once before. Can I get it again? You certainly can. The cabinet is going to think I've gone crazy. They're waiting in there for me to talk about states' rights. Instead, I'll give them a lecture on kids' rights. Sure, go ahead, Jim. Call your conference. I'll attend it myself. It's a bully idea. Therefore, this conference should study, take into consideration all the problems of child welfare. Not tomorrow or the day after, but starting right now. May I ask a question, Mr. West? Certainly, Mr. Valentine. Do you believe that our orphanages and charitable institutions are not taking proper care of the children? What do you mean by proper care? Well, food, clothing, shelter. As good as they can, yes. But do you believe those three things are all a child needs? Well, it's all we can do, Mr. West. It isn't all we can do. Child welfare must be organized. Organized to make every effort to see the children get homes. Homes, Mr. Valentine, not just shelter. Ladies and gentlemen, it's up to us to give every child a chance at the opportunity offered by America. What they do with that opportunity is bounded only by ability and ambition. Mr. West, no one has ever questioned your sincerity, your knowledge of the problem. But private charity and public institutions serve children long before you began this crusade. Establishing a child welfare program now would be difficult. I'm not sure this is the right time. We are not organized sufficiently to act. No, Mr. West, this is not the time. Since when do we put a time limit on progress? In this case, we must. Sit down, Jim, please. They didn't understand, Marion. They just didn't understand. They will someday. Jim, don't worry. Someday. And when someday comes, it'll be someday again. But you don't... I'll answer it, Jim. Hello? Yes, he's here. Oh, oh, I've called us right away. Jim, Jim, that was Mr. Loeb. President Roosevelt's secretary. He ought to go to the White House as soon as possible. Mrs. West, this is delightful. Thank you, Mr. President. I had known you were coming, Mrs. West. I had to postpone my barber. But I need a shave badly. It's quite all right, Mr. Roosevelt. Mr. President, is there any news? Once over lightly, Ed. Don't get any lather in my ear. Yes, sir. Mr. Roosevelt, the news. Mr. President, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get any lather in my ear. Mr. Roosevelt, the news. You wanted to see me. Yes, I did. Jim, you must realize that things never go the way we planned. Oh. What happened? I had word from the committee and... Ed, not too much off the mustache, please. Yes, sir. Mr. President. I'm sorry, Jim. But I can't stand that look on your face. What happened? That thing's been handed you right on a platter. They not only merged all child welfare activities into a single organization, but they gave the government itself the job. Well? Jim, dear darling. What's the matter, Jim? There... There's this lather in your ear, Mr. President. Oh, well, is that all you can say? No, but I can't say it now. Marion, I'd like to go. But Jim, the President... Is getting a shave. Go ahead. Ed, scrape away. Goodbye, sir, and thank you. Someday we'll all thank you, Jim. Goodbye. You've done it, darling. You've got all you wanted. No, darling. Now the work's just beginning. Just beginning. High in a skyscraper tower overlooking Manhattan sits James E. West. He is now 71 years old. His office walls contain photographs of more than 2,000 smiling children who have long since grown into worthy American citizens. And in the mind of James E. West must be members of the American people. He's a great man. He's a great man. He's a great man. And he's an outstanding American citizen. And in the mind of James E. West must be memories of another magnificent achievement. For as chief scout and executive officer for nearly 33 years of the Boy Scouts of America, his has been ennobling patriotic work in organizing this world's foremost youth building movement. And yes, James E. West believed in America and above all in America's greatest natural resource, Perhaps the world's best hope for the future. Music Next week you will hear Ronald Regan in a good natured and dynamic story about a little little at Remington called The Forge. The week following we have the pleasure of starring William Powell in The Oath. And in succeeding weeks Robert Montgomery, Helen Hayes, Thomas Mitchell and Bill Stern step before Cavalcade's microphones. So make it a point to listen every week to the DuPont Cavalcade of America. Music The general theme of the 35th National Safety Congress meeting in Chicago today is that accidents do not always happen to the other fellow. This week and every week we should all bear in mind the slogan of the National Safety Council. Be careful, the life you save may be your own. The music for the DuPont Cavalcade is composed and conducted by Robert Armbruster. Our Cavalcade play was written by Theodore R. Nathan. Henry Fonda will soon be seen in the John Ford RKO picture, The Fugitive. Featured in the cast with Mr. Fonda tonight were Betty Lou Gerson as Marion, William Roy as Joe and Howard McNeer as Theodore Roosevelt. This is Frank Bingman inviting you to listen next week to The Forge starring Ronald Regan on the Cavalcade of America brought to you by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Applause The DuPont Cavalcade of America came to you from Hollywood. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company. Music
