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Passport For Adams 1943-09-21 Starring Robert Young
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Passport For Adams 1943-09-21 Starring Robert Young
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Hey, Doug, get a loan of the lieutenant. What about the lieutenant? Pretty cute, ain't she? Yeah, pretty cute. Now let me finish writing this cable, will you? I wonder if she's taking the plane to Tel Aviv with us. Could be. Doug, how long is a flight from here to Tel Aviv? Doug, do you hear me? Let's see, here's the timetable. Cairo to Lyda. That's the airport for Tel Aviv. Jerusalem, Haifa, Beirut. Oh, here it is. Flight 21, Cairo, Lyda. 2 hours and 25 minutes. I wouldn't mind if it was 2 hours and 25 days. As long as that babe's in the party. Now there's my idea of a beautiful dame. Don't you ever think of anything else but beautiful dames? Sure, passable dames. I hope we're not going to have any trouble with you in Tel Aviv. Quiz. Don't forget your promise. After what happened last week. My dear Adams, you are looking henceforward at the most impeccable character that ever. Attention passengers on Flight 21 for litter, hyper and Beirut departure has been delayed one hour. Flight 21 will leave at approximately 13:30. Well, an hour to kill, huh? In that case, I think I'll lose no further time than striking up an acquaintance. Hey, wait a minute, Romeo. Now look, leave us not pull my coattail, will you? Sit down, sit down. Why don't you spend this hour striking up an acquaintance with a Hebrew language? Inasmuch as you're going to a Jewish city, you'll get along better with Tel Aviv if you take some time with his handbook. I know plenty of Hebrew. Olive, Beze. Beze. Gimbal, Dollard, Kibbutz, schlemiel, ganiff, kosher, gefila, fish. Yehudi, manohin. Ah, splendid. You have a remarkable command of pidgin Yiddish. Thank you. Which has so little to do with the Hebrew language. I'm sure you could profitably spend an hour with this booklet. Why can't I read it later? Won't do you any harm to get a general idea of the city before you get in trouble, as you undoubtedly will. All right, if it'll make you happy, I'll read the thing. I do homework yet? Good pictures. See? Let me count the words in this cable. Forster and South Syndic USA filing 3000 ex Tel Aviv wednight since Moscow via Tehran. Hey, Doug. What? Ain't the Jews supposed to be one of the oldest racial groups in the world? If not the oldest? Yeah. Why? Then how does it happen that the only old Jewish city in the world is just 35 years old? Well, that's a long story. Quiz. You see, it's like this. Columbia presents Passport for Adams, the sixth of a series of programs starring Robert Young as Doug Adams, a country editor who's been sent on a trip around the world to visit the cities and talk to the people of the United Nations. Tonight's program, written, directed and produced by Norman Corwin, takes Adams to the important war city of Tel Aviv, Palestine. What's the matter? Unit days? Hmm? No, no, I'm fine. Well, then put on your bag and take off your hat. You're here. You've arrived. I was just thinking about something. Well, I hope you're out of the trances before Christmas. Nice room, ain't it? Yeah. Pull up the blinds, will you, while I hang up these coats? Okay. Hey, look at this, Doug. What is it? Practically all of Tel Aviv from this window. This is a swell view. Did you ever see bluer water than that? Now look at that beach, will you? Blue and white. You don't have to fall out of the window, son. Yeah, but look at them white houses against that blue sky. Doug, if you saw that in a painting, you wouldn't believe it. Sure I would. Depends on the painter. Oh, it's like a technicolor picture. Panchrome B101. Everything blue and white. Primitive colors, you know. It's kind of symphonic in a way, if you know what I mean. Hey, I've never seen you in such a froth with what's come over you. What's the matter? There's a different look in your eyes ever since we landed at Lydda. What's going on here? Why? Out with it, Quesenberry. Out with what? Did you fall for that girl officer on the plane or something? I fall for the girl officer on the plane. You sat next to her all the way up from Cairo, looking at her like a lovesick calf. What's her name? Aviva Harsahav. Egyptian? No, no, Jewish. She's a member of the British ats. Sort of a British whack. Same like Aviva means spring, you know, Tel Aviv means hill of spring. Well, you see her name? What's she doing on the plane? She lives in this burg. She's born here. She's home on a furlough. Lives on a farm with a funny name, which I forget. Why are you so curious all of a sudden? Quiz, look at me. What's the matter? What's so funny? I really believe you're smitten. Don't be crazy. I just met the girl. It's pretty, all right. We had a fine talk and all that. What did you talk about? Well, how she used to work on the corrective farm here. Collective farm. And how about they used to dance the hora on Sabbath? That's a kind of a Jewish Chitterburg dance, I guess. Happens to be the national dance. And how she used to come in from the farm at night with her family and go to the concerts at the Tel Aviv Orchestra. I guess it's the kind of a local swing band. But classy, you know, like. Like Mark Warno. Yes. A man named Toscanini was its first conductor. That's right. She said that, too? Yeah, she did say symphonic, come to think of it. And so did you say symphonic a while ago? You really got hit between the eyes, didn't you, Junior? Ah, you're dizzy with the heat adders. We just had an interesting chat for a couple of hours, that's all. You don't have to make a big thing out of it. Okay, okay. Relax. Okay. Okay. You too. Now, let's unpack this stuff and then go down and eat, huh? Then we can go around town and talk to all kinds of people. Okay? I like to get a good cross section of this town. Lots of colorful people here. It's a sort of meeting of east and West. They say there are more different languages spoken here than in any city of its size in the world. I speak three myself. That so? English, American and double talk. Yeah. Come on. Stop dreaming and unpack. Hey, Doug. Hi. Can I ask you something? Sure. Did you fall in love with your wife the first time you met her? Yes. 80 generations, Mr. Adams. Think of it. 80 generations. That certainly is a long time for a people to be without a home. By the way, Mr. Shamir, did you ever hear of a girl named Aviva Harshahav? No. I'm sorry. You were saying, Mr. Shamir, that your work. Yes. You see, I work with a pick and shovel. I carry bricks in these construction jobs. It's not an easy work. Certainly nothing like practicing law. But something happens to you here. You see things grow. Mithra Hof Allenby. This fine broad street with palm trees and its modern building. This was a sand dune when you were still a child. This whole place was desert 35 years ago. Now it's the biggest city in Palestine and the happiest in the Middle East. And you feel that you've been a part of its growth, Is that it? Feel I can look around me in the city and see the very bricks I've carried. See them standing in place doing their job. Why, the bed ham house of the people Stands on ground I help to be. Pardon me. Do you mind letting the heart. Mr. Sharma? I'd like to get a picture, Mr. Adams. I suppose I'm romantic and sentimental about it, but after all, the work of a bricklayer does sometimes outlast the conquest of kings. I often think about the people who were locked up in the miserable ghettos of Europe just a few years ago and now have shelter and peace and clean air and sunshine in the houses we've helped to build. Sure, I'm happy. Why shouldn't I be happy? Hey, did I hear straight? Is that guy selling papers or singing opera? He's selling papers. Here, boy, let's have a paper. It's the Davar of Palestine Evening News. There's a good makeup on this front page. Hey, it's printed all in Hebrew. Sure, what do you expect? Look, pictures of fighting in Italy. No Little Abner or Joe Palooka? No, not even Dick Tracy. See? I guess this is the editorial page. Sport page. Hey, what is it? Say, what the heck is a picture of you doing in there? This must be one of my pieces for Consolidated. Hey, look. And there's my pictures of Liberia with Hebrew captions. Hey, we're international celebrities, you know that. Consolidated certainly gets around with that syndicate of all the unexpected. Hold on, chum. Do you see what I see across the street? Or is that a desert mirage? What? A soda fountain selling cold Orange Aid and frosted milkshakes. Well, so it is. First thing like that since we left the state. Tel Aviv. I love you. Would you like to go out to where it's less noisy? A tank shop isn't exactly ideal for a quiet interview, is it? No, I guess. And besides my nerves on edge, I almost got run over by a jeep on my way here. You know, if I knew any Hebrew swear words, I'd have told a monkey driving that. An American soldier, he'd have never understood Hebrew cuss words. That's just the point. He was bigger than me. Well, here we are. Let's step inside the office. Much better. Yes. Now, you were asking about these shops, Mr. Adams. Yes. How does it happen? There's so much military equipment here. It's all war materials. You see, this was the chief repair depot for the British 8th army in the African campaign. Many a tank we patched up here in Tel Aviv went back and gave the Nazis hell, if you'll pardon the expression. We feel pretty proud of our contributions. I understand under British mandate there's no conscription in Palestine. That's right. Well, are there many Jewish volunteers from here in the armed forces? Over 22,000 and growing all the time. By the way, Miss, did you ever hear of a girl named Arsa Hav in the ats? Well, there are several families in the city by that name. It's the Hebrew for Goldberg, you know. Oh, her first name's Aviva. Lives on a farm somewhere, but I forget the name. Wish I knew where to find her. Well, she might be in town for the Histadut. Neshev. What's that? Neshev is our word for party. They hold it on the Sabbath. When does the Sabbath start? Friday at sundown. See a lot of folk dancing there. This Neshev sounds like it ought to be plenty photogenic, eh, Doug, don't you think we ought to cover it come the Sabbath? Okay, quiz. Tell me, Ms. Katinski, what's the feeling in Tel Aviv about the war in general? I mean, about the basic issues. Atlantic Charter, the movement toward world collaboration. Mr. Adams, you say you're stopping at the Gothlemon? Yes. Did you notice the name of the street that's on? Well, I don't believe I notice it now. It used to be called Harakan street, but the name was officially changed some time ago to which means street of the United Nations. What did you say your name was, Sergeant? O'. Shaughnessy. Patrick X. O'. Shaughnessy. South Chicago, Illinois. And I take it you're with the air forces? Yeah, we got an air drum out near the Lowenthal farm. As a matter of fact, our mess hall is in Lowenthal's old barn. Ever meet a farmer named Harsahav? No, can't say as I did. Shalom, gentlemen. Yes, a wetland beach. We already ordered. Gave it the other way there. Oh, all right, fine. And tell them to step on it, will ya? I'm starved. Very good. Tell me, Sergeant, how do you like it here? Oh, I like it fine. You like the people? Yeah. Not many Irish here, but I like the Jewish people fine. There's a non denominational church they put up here for all different soldiers. And you want to know something? What? There ain't no anti Semitism here. Well, what about anti gentilism? Any of that? Oh, hey, as a matter of fact, you know, I wondered about that the first time I was here. But there ain't no such thing. No sign saying white Semites only? No, nothing like that. No Jewish newspaper ad saying restricted clientele? No. And you want to hear something else? There's a concentration camp for Nazis out in Sirona that's just outside of town. And these Nazis were the worst kind of fifth columnist before the war. They were stooging around to stir up trouble against the Arabs and all that, you know, when the war came, they were chucked into the clink, see? And you know what? What? There's a Jewish watchman guarding those Nazis. Big news. Wayfair's end of season sale is here. It's Wayfair's Labor Day clearance. Right now you can score up to 70% off everything home at Wayfair. Plus amazing doorbuster deals and 24 hour surprise flash deals on home buys in every style. This is your last chance to score end of season savings. And it's happening now. Did we mention fast shipping on everything? Don't we? Head to Wayfair.com today to score up to 70% off now through September 2nd, Wayfair Every style, every home save big during Labor Day at Lowe's, get up to 40% off, select major appliances plus buy more to get up to an additional 20% off shop even more. More savings with three stay green 1 cubic foot vegetable and flower garden soil bags for $10. This Labor Day, take care of your home for less it Lowe's we help you save ballot through nine three soil opera excludes Alaska and Hawaii. Selection varies by location. Select locations only while supplies last. See lowe's.com for more details. Ain't that poetic justice for you, huh? I take it the nasty prisoners are not whipped and tortured by the Jews. No, no. I've seen them. If anything, I think they're getting off too easy. They don't have to wear a swastika on their clothes or the word Deutsche pinned on their back? No. You mean they don't have to scrub the streets. While the people stand around laughing and insulting them? No. What do you think this is, a civilized country? If I was these Jews in Tel Aviv, I'd shoot them Nazis down like dogs, every one of them. That's what 22,000 of these Jews are doing, quiz. Shooting down Nazis. But where it counts the most on the field of battle. You know something I found out after being here six months. That anti Semitism stuff you run across in certain places back home in the States is nothing but a racket. Gullible people get sucked in just the way they did in Germany when they fell for Hitler. Yeah, that's right. It's one of the oldest rackets in the world. Making a scapegoat out of a minority. There was a time when Christians were a minority too. And they were scapegoated right into the arena to be mangled by lions. Yeah, you said it, brother. Hey, who's that? Harry James making with the trumpet. Oh, that. That's the old guy. Comes around every Friday night to blow the horn. Announcing the Sabbath. They observe Sunday on Saturday here, you know. Or maybe it's we who observe Saturday on Sunday. Considering the Hebrews had their Sabbath in practice a long time before we did. You mean it's a Sabbath right now? Sure. Begins sundown Friday. Well, all the shops have to close now. Then this is the night they got that big Neshava, ain't it? That's right, Mac. So long, you guys. I ain't very hungry. I'm on my way to a poke dash. Hey, Chris. Come. Uh, well, did you find her quiz? No, I'm still searching for her. She's about my height. Well, I'll keep on looking on this side of the crowd over here. If you spot her, Doug, whistle with two fingers in your mouth, will ya? Okay, Mr. Quincy. A beaver. Say, I'm glad to see I've been looking. Come on, Mr. Quincey. Let's join the dance. Quizzenberry. Come on. You'll like it. You really will. Can't dance his dad. It's just genuine. All right. Do that. No, no, Wait a minute. I I hey, it was terribly good of your daughter to ask us to visit you here on the farm, Mr. Harov. I always wanted to see a collective farm. Why, it's been a Great pleasure to show you around, Mr. Asam. Not often we have a privilege of this. So why don't you take your coat off and be comfortable? Well, yes, please do, Mr. Adams. Thank you, Mrs. Hatahas. I will. If you don't mind. Would you care for a drink of wine from Jewish grapes grown at Yagia Kapayim? I would indeed. Is Yagia Kapayim another collective like this? It's the new garden suburb of Jerusalem. The name in Hebrew means the labor of thine hand. After one of the sons of David. Yes, very beautiful name. Here you are, Mr. Adams. Thank you very much. Where's Quiz gone? He's sitting on the porch with Aviva. I bring some wine out to them. I'll do it, darling. It won't be long before dinner, Mr. Adams. I hope you won't mind waiting. Oh, no, don't worry about that. We have 300 for dinner every night, you know. As many of you as that? Oh, yes. And after dinner tonight, there's a general meeting which all but the children attend. They go to bed, you see. I hope you have better luck getting yours to bed than I have with mine. Oh, you have children, have you? Yeah, two. Boy and a girl. You like to see their pictures? Oh, very much indeed. Did I hear you say you had pictures of your children? I'd love to see them. Oh, dear. I find I've left them at the hotel. Oh, that's too bad. How old are they? 5 and 8. But don't get me started talking about my kids. I'm the typical father, you know. Mr. Harshahov, do I understand that this was completely barren soil when your collective started? Oh, my friend, when we came here, there was nothing but wasteland. Not even water. Sometimes only a bucket a day for 50 people. And we had to fetch that bucket from miles away and pay very dearly for it. But we dug our own wells. We built our roads. You mean the fine roads we came out on were built by you people? Oh, entirely. Entirely Everything. Everything that you see here is the work of bare hands, Mr. Adams. The houses, the roads, the new reservoir, orchards, vineyards, gardens, all are the work of free Jewish men and women. Many of them people who were hounded and persecuted in some of the so called enlightened countries of Europe. And they came here. They bought their way here. Almost as your pilgrims went to America for independence and the chance to make their own life out of a wilderness. I don't suppose it's been easy. We could tell you some stories. What? Good thing isn't Hard to come by. Do you know Vanish? No, I guess not. That's the dinner bell. Mr. Adams. Yeah? Will you get Mr. Adams Coke from the client? Another sip of wine before we go to the mess hall, Mr. Adams? No, thanks. This is fine. Thanks. Are we all ready to go to dinner, Mother? Yes, Aviva. Well, Ms. Harshahav, has quiz been telling you all about America? No. As a matter of fact, we were discussing poetry, mainly, and Doug. Doug, did you know that they have holidays here to celebrate the birthdays of poets? Yes. Did Quiz tell you about the great American poets Whitman and Sandberg? No, but he read me some poetry. Oh, Longfellow? Well, no. Quesenberry. Secondim Adams. The Queensberry Shila Consolidated Syndicate. May I thought. Hable. Shalom, Chavelim. I know you will forgive my speaking English tonight, but this is in order that our friends from the United States, Mr. Douglas Adams and Mr. Perry Quissenberg, may understand all that is being said. As our good secretary has just told you, we are going to dispense with the business at hand to welcome Messrs. Adams and Quissenberg to your farm. However, I would just like to announce at this time that on Monday, September 27, there will be an important meeting of the Hispadrut, the General Labor Federation, to discuss the program of collaborating with the Jewish Agency in the training of pilots and mechanics for the raf and now I'm going to extend the privilege of introducing our guests to Khabr Alya Harzahan, who has been host to them since they arrived earlier in the day. Mr. Adams is an American newspaper editor on an assignment to visit the allied countries and to tell his own readers back home how he finds the people of the United Nations. All of you have read his articles, which, by a most happy coincidence, have been running in the. And I know that you have as many questions to ask of Kaverim, Adams and Quesenberry as they have been asking Tel Aviv in the past week. But with his leave, I should like to call upon Mr. Adams to speak to us now for as long as he wishes, and to say anything that is in his mind to say, whether about what he has seen in his voyaging or what he has seen here or what he hopes to see. Mr. Douglas Adams of Centerville, United States of America, thank you very much. I. I'm afraid I'm no speech maker, ladies and gentlemen. I have enough trouble expressing myself in writing where I can at least use an eraser and go back and begin again. And this is a pretty unusual situation for me. But if you don't mind. Why, I guess I won't mind either. Mr. Quisenberry and I have been in Tel Aviv and its vicinity for about a week now, and I can tell you that we've been much impressed by both big things and little things. Maybe those are one and the same thing. I guess they are. It may seem a little thing that although Tel Aviv is not a rich city, one rarely finds a beggar here in contrast to other cities I've seen. It may seem a little thing that there are no ragged children with sore eyes nor hungry looking people on your streets. I don't mean that everybody's well off here in a material sense. I've seen otherwise. But all the good little impressions do add up. And when you put them together with the big things, the pride and industry of your people and your fine cultural life. We attended the Habima and Ohio theaters, for instance, and your excellent agriculture. I guess you know about that. All in all, the picture becomes one of infinite hope. And I begin to understand why the people here are so happy. Happy in spite of the war, being close to you here, in spite of bombs having been dropped on your city and having lost many of your friends, in spite of large political problems, which I know are going to take patience and hard work to straighten out. But above all, this city seems to me a living example of what can happen when the human spirit, which believe me, is the same in Centerville as it is in Tel Aviv, is just given a chance to flourish like any other of God's living things. When people are given a chance to live the way they were intended to live in a home of their own, living by the labor of their hands and raising children to be useful citizens of the better world, which we all hope is in the making. Thank you for everything. I'd like you to hear another poem which I wrote last night, Aviva. But your plane leaves in five minutes, Perry. Oh, well, then I'll leave it with you. It's entitled Viva Aviva. It's kind of a love poem. I'd like you to remember me by it and write me when you read it. I've been looking for you. You got your duffel bag? Quiz. We'll leave in a couple of minutes. Yeah, yeah, I'm all set. He'll let me help you with the grip. Oh, that's all right. Thanks, Mr. Hartsop. Well, sir, it was good of you to come to the aerodrome with us. I appreciate it more than I can say. All you've done. Not at all in the. Was our pleasure. I wish we could see more of you. Well, I just like to say one thing before I leave. I think you people have a wonderful word that you use for greeting. The word shalom. Yeah. Meaning peace. Yes. And I hope that if and when we meet again in a future not too distant that word will be invested with a new meaning and a more lasting one than we've ever known. I hope so too, my friend. Well, shalom. Shalom. You have been listening to Passport for Adams starring Metro Goldwyn Mayer's distinguished Robert Young. Tonight's program was written, directed and produced by Norman Corwin. The original musical score was composed by Lucian Madowick and conducted by Lud Gluskin. Max Lippin was technical advisor. Next week at this time, Columbia's Passport for Adams takes war correspondent Doug Adams to Moscow capital city of our great fighting ally, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.