IWCF 052 The Brass Monkey

As a Communist for the FBI, starring Dana Andrews and an exciting tale of danger and espionage. I was a Communist for the FBI from the actual records and authetic experiences of Matt savedics how many of the incidents in this unusual story. Here is our star, Dana Andrews as Matt savedic Oo. For nine fantastic years lived as a Communist for the FBI. After serving a nine year sentence with the Red I decided that doing time in prison is a lot. Better than doing time in the Communist Party. You can serve your sentence in jail, and if you're lucky, you can get out in time to enjoy freedom. But you never get out of the party. And what's worse, the party never gets out of you. This story shows what I mean. In a moment, listen to Dana Andrews as Matt Sabatic under coverman. Now here is Dana Andrews as Matt Sabatic under coverman. This story from the confidential file is marked the Brass Monkey. The door at the top of this long flat of stairs led to the Progress Employment Agency. Beyond that door, I was to find my new job. My new assignment for the Reds. All I knew about the Progress Employment Agency was what the local comedy bosses told. Me when they gave me my orders. It's an employment bureau with a social conscience, they said. See Hugo Hastings and no one else. The office of the same bleak barren look as a local draft board. There walls, a skylight for ventilation, three desks, four straight back chairs, and in one of them Hugo Hastings. So you're the metsthetic I've heard so much about. And what have you heard, Hastings? Oh, it's all good, all good, it's got to be. You've got a big. Job out of you, a job that calls for a man who can be a trusted to think fast. And well what is the job? You don't know? No, you're going to prison, prison, the first prison. What did you expect? Well, I, hey, look, no one's told me anything about this deal. I thought you'd been briefed on this little project. Nobody told me anything about going to prison. And somehow the idea doesn't appeal to me one bit, not even as a service to the. Party or relaxed, comrade, relax you expected at state prison tomorrow afternoon. You better make other arrangements. I owned argue, comrade, it's all settled. I'll sit down and I'll explain. It was settled all right. The Party was sending me to prison. No, not as a convict, but as an advisor, an employment counselor for the Progress Employment Agency. My job to give a series of aptitude tests to prisoners who were soon to be released. The purpose of these tests to check their qualifications for jobs to be offered them by the Progress Agency. Naturally, there was a reason for this too, and Hastings showed it to me. Here. Look, the Party needs new faces, new members to do our specialized work. Then we can control. That's why we've chosen to recruit these ex contents. But how can we do that? The prison authority is. Never The Party has taken great pains to win the confidence of these prison authorities. It wasn't easy. It took months of conniving, planning, working, wheedling our way into their countries. Hm, I get it. Now. They send their paroles to us, and the men think we're giving them new starts in life. But suppose these men don't like working for Communist Front organizations. Suppose they don't like the jobs we give them. They could expose our whole plan. Oh no, they won't. Remember. A prison record is a handicap, a brass monkey perched on the back of every man we choose. If a man starts giving us trouble, we simply turned that brass monkey against him. How if a. Man turns from us, we add a full scale smear campaign to the handicap of his prison record, and the man is. Ruined for life. Hm. Nice, great society will accept a man with one brass monkey like a prison record. But do never. If you come with me, I'll arrange for your train tickets. To the prison. Well, mister Sevethik, we've been looking forward. To you a visit. Thanks, Gordon. I hope I won't be putting you to too much trouble. Trouble, Believe me, nothing's too much trouble if it keeps these men on the right side of the lawn, and if you can help them get good, solid jobs. Well, I'll do my bad warton. Uh, where am I to give these tests? Oh? Sure thing. I guess I've been talking too much, haven't I Come on? It's down near cell block sixteen. Yes, sir, I like this kind of cooperation. This way, everybody benefits. Everybody benefits. I'll just introduce you to the men Sevetic and then I'll go. There'll be less self conscious without me here. Okay, Warden, fine, all right, man, take your seats please. Man. This is mister Matt Sevetic. He represents the Progress Employment Agency. Man. He's here to help you Fellas all of you are due to be released pretty soon, you'll need help in finding jobs. So give mister Sevetic your attention and follow his instructions. I'll see you later. Uh. Tell us these tests are designed to help us find out what sort of work you do best. What I mean is, if my agency is to help you find jobs, we have to know your qualifications. We've been working stay for a long time, gentlemen, to stop it all of you. Aye, You men think differently than I do. I'm looking forward to leaving this prison and soon. And wait, why is. A postcard every day? Will your morrow? Just a postcard? Will do it? All? Right? Gentlemen, have your fun and enjoy yourselves. Let me tell you this. I thought sending you a postcard every day would help me get started on the outside. I do it, Yes, I do it. I do anything for the right break. This man from the employment agency came up here to give us all a decent chance to. Get started when we leave this place. Perhaps some of you smarter jail birds don't need help. I do. I have a wife wife who's willing to let me prove I can live an honest life, And gentlemen, I promise you I'm not letting anyone here ruin my chance to do it. All right, mister say, I think they'll listen now. Thanks, thanks a lot. Hey, Uh, what's your name? Tomorrow? Let's Tomorrow. After Morrow's outburst, the test went off like clockwork. The man's overwhelming sincerity must have made the hecklers a little self conscious, a little ashamed, But none of them was as much ashamed as I was, I who was demanding their attention and their trust so I could sell them down the river. Morrow didn't deserve what I could do for him. No decent human being deserved it. The idea of hanging a man like Tomorrow in a red frame made me sick, sick of my job as an undercover man, sick of the Kami's, sick of myself. I knew I had to Helpmorrow. I had the feeling that if I could save him from this Kami trap, I could save all the men. When I got back to town, I mailed a report of my chore to the FBI. And then headed straight for Morrow's home. Yes, missus Morrow, Yes, what is it. My name is Savetic. I'm with the Progress Employment Agency. Oh well, thanks a lot, but it's about your husband, Missus Morrow. It's important. Oh, come here. Thank you. What about my husband? My employment agency has been working with. The institution, the prison. Yes, we're helping the paroles get jobs. I understand your husband expects his parole pretty soon. That's right, within a week. Are you going to help him get a job? Can you place? Oh no, Missus Morrow, I can't. You can't, But why not? He he'll work, you work hard. I know he's expecting help from us, but his qualifications don't fit any of the jobs we have open. Oh I see, I'm sorry, Missus Morrow. You know, mister Sedik, my husband's a two time loser. He violated his parole last time because he was desperate. He couldn't get a job anywhere, and I was too sick to work. He's worth another chance. Isn't he isn't he? Well, of course he is sick. What do you know about him that I don't know nothing. I'm trying to trust him so that he'll trust himself. I'm trying hard, mister Feddick. But you you're not helping one bit, Not a bit, mister Steddick, not one single bit. The only way I could help Marrow now was to hurt him. And by this time my conscience had grown stronger than my caution. I paid another visit to the prison, this time five minutes with Marrow alone. Well that's a study. I didn't expect to find you here. I didn't expect to be Heremorrow, I have some bad news. Oh what is it? They've approved my parole, isn't They told me I'm leaving in two days. Well, the parole's all right. It's just that our agency can't get you a job. Why not? Weren't the tests all right? It has nothing to do with your Qualificationsmorrow, You can feel any job you want, and what is it? Lookmorrow, take a tip. Stay away from the Progress Employment Agency for your own goods. Stay away, in fact, tell all the other men to stay away too. We can't help you I'm sorry, I don't understand this. The other day, you. Forget Itmorrow, The whole thing was just a well stun's a publicity guy. Yeah, now just forget the Progress Agency. We can't help you do anything but trouble. Is that clear? No, no, it's not, but maybe it'll clear up later. Good morning, sidek oh ood morning, Heytings. What's that you're reading on a list of new paroles men about to be released from state prison? Warden sent them down? Good? Good? I suckle it too. Well, Yes, Anderson bled so Dominico King Morrow leics Tomorrow. You know him, of course I know him. Comrade Morrow has been the party's number one informer at the prison. Tomorrow a Red informer and a good one in nice seeing him again, he found to have plenty of useful information for us. Something that man has said. Oh, everything's okay, Everything's just fine. Now back to Danna Andrews, starring as Matt savedk and I was a communist for the FBI and the second act of our story. You can't let your conscience get in your way when you deal with the Reds. My conscience led me to drop my guard and help Lester Morrow to save his neck and put my own neck on the commie chopping block, only to find that the axe is held by Morrow himself. Two three four days went by the longest days of my life as we waited for Comrade to Morrow to show up at the employment ay. Then one morning I climbed the long flight of stairs opened the door, exactly the sort. Of thing the Party will not tolerate. Tomorrow, I won't put up. That's the point these things. I thought it was in the best interest of the party to. Tell you that, good morning, comrades spady, get out. If you we're busy on, get out, get out. I'll deal with you later. Nice to see you again, Comrade s ready, Yeah, welcome to the outside world. Tomorrow get out, SVETI now. I was glad to get out. It's no joy, yes, occasion to eat up on the plants for your own execution. Morrow was obviously sharpening. The axe for me, and I knew i'd be hearing from him soon, but he found me sooner than I expected. All right, all right, well, hello, comrade, put me in steady. I gotta talk to you, but far. Mura, you've probably done enough talking for one. It's important all right, come on in, well. Svetic, You've got to help me. Me help you. You're out of your mind. Perhaps when you do a double stretch in prison, you have time to do a lot of thinking. You make changes in your basic philosophies, many changes. What are you talking about. I've made too many mistakes, Savetic. I can't afford to make anymore. I want to leave the party. You are out of your mind, Sovetic. I know I can trust you from the way you spoke when you visited me at the prison, the way you tried to warn me. From the very beginning. I knew you were concerned, worried about my will. All right, tomorrow. It's a great speech, Grape, What a fine performance. I'm sure Comrade Hastings would appreciate it too. I'm not interested in Hastings, Sabetic. I need help. I need help back. Oh you'll need help, plenty of it, all right. Oh, you don't understand. This is my last chance, Savetic. Look, I can't throw it away. I promised myself and my wife that i'd cut my ties with the Reds and start all over again. Did I tack it enough? Well? I cut up. You don't cut your ties with the party tomorrow, the party cuts its ties with you, and it gives me great pleasure to be able. To wield the knife sibbetic. Look, I thought I could trust you. Can You can trust me to act like a loyal member of the poltarian army. You can trust me to be worthy of the exalted aims of the communist partner. No, you've shown yourself to be a weak, disloyal, sniveling coward hiding behind bourgeoisies. Kurt, No, wait, my duty to report your disloyalty to. Comrade Hasty Semitic. Please, you violated the faith of your comrades. I'll beat it. If if you fell Hastings about this, I finished get out, traitor. I had to do it that way. Morrow's act was standard calming procedure, the final test of my loyalty to the cause. It was the only way I could clear myself. Surely it was brutal, but Red's lived in a world built on brutality. I'll admit, though, that I almost believed Morrow was sincere, that he hadn't reported me to Hastings at all. But remember Morrow had Comrade hastings endorsement as a good kami and good comis are good actors, men of many faces, all of them false. The next step up the stairs, through the door, to prove my faith to Comrade Hastings. What is it'svedik, it's Comrade Morrow Hastings. He wants to quit the party, ask me to conspire with him against the party. Ah, and he really meant it after all. What That's why we were arguing about a while ago. He told me he wanted to release from his duties as a communist. Wait a minute, you mean do you mean he actually meant what he said. I thought he was just a bit unstrung after this time in prison, the excitement of being parole. But he meant it. He was really serious allowed leaving the party. Yes, yes, he was serious. I thought he'd get over it. But if he went to you for help, well we'll just have to put an end to Comrade Morrow's misgivings. Now I'll wait a minute. Maybe i'd better talk to him again. Maybe he's still just a little upset. I'm strong If maybe still feels that way, he's ammendous to the welfare of the cause retic. He's got to be eliminated. Oh, I don't know yet. But I'll think of something. Remember, Morrow carries a large brass monkey, very large. This was great in an effort to clear myself of suspicions that weren't there, I'd sealed the doom of the man who had trusted me. I couldn't ignore my conscience. Now I had to help Morrow. Now I had to go Tomorrow. Evidently cold Hastings had punts. The brass knuckleboys were at work Onmorrow in the next room. Two stretches in prison. And now, because he wanted to start. Clean, got a job. He asthetic. Oh thanks, I'll leave the bloodshed to your biceps brigade in there. They've accomplished their mission. Tomorrow has decided to sign the note what note? This one to his wife, telling her he can no longer divide his loyalty between her and the party. He's chosen the party. What's the money for train fare? I'm delivering them to party headquarters in Hill City. But he's on parole, Hastings, he'll cities across the state line. He leaves this state without the permission of the parole board. Yes, he goes back to prison for keeps. I told you that brass monkeys can be useful, But the poor guys had two stretches already. He's a trader of the party esthetic I think rather ironic that we should be able to punish him with the laws of the bourgeoisie. Don't you When do you leave the seven o'clock train tonight? I'll deliver him to our comrades in. The Hill City and then he's free to go back to prison. Huh m hmm. Now, if you'll be kind enough to deliver this note to missus Morrow, me, why me? Why not give Missus Morrow my best? Will you come here? I didn't think you were a red too, Missus Feddick. You've been wrong on many counts. Missus Morrow, you even trusted your husband, yes. Even my husband. The funny thing is I still do. I don't believe he wrote this note. Then you're a fool, sure true, I'm a fool, all right. I'm full enough to trust my husband more than I trust you. What are you going to do? It's just a minute. Get down that. No, I'm calling the police. Put it down. Put it down, I said, I warn you, Missus Morrow. Don't call the police, don't call the FBI, don't call anyone for help. If you do, your husband will suffer for it. Maybe I was defeating my purpose playing the role to that extent. But I couldn't let her call the cops or the FBI or anyone now, not now, not yet. I had to get Hastings Andmorrow on that train first, and I had no time to explain things to Missus Morrow. The luggage on the train aesthetic, Oh. Yeah, sure, it's in your compartment, Hastings. Our compartment tomorrow, and I I wouldn't think of letting our wayward comrade out of my sight for a moment. I'm flattering, But if you did, Hastings, you better get on the train. Now. We have three four minutes yet. Get on the train. Hurry up. What right have you to talk to me like? Come on, go on, take Morrow and get into your compartment. Hurry, hy, hurry, I've hey Stings count on the train. Look over there. Oh yes, goodbye, setic come on Morrow, come on. They got aboard the train just in time. Coming toward us at a determined pace was Missus Morrow with a man I've never seen before. They stopped to ask some questions of a porter standing on the platform. Minute the two wasted there and then Missus Morrow spotted me. I had to keep her off that train. My husband's on that train? Is me? Tell us hurry? Sorry, I wouldn't know you're lie. I'm from the parole board, saved. Missus Morrow has told me about you and your friend. Let me tell you that her husband prefers my friends to her. Mister set please where is he? Hurry? The train's going clean. I can't hear you down that train. Listen't Burrow on that train? What? No, no know you go God it. So you God. Flynn speaking Flynn. This is Red. Oh hi, what's up? You got my reports on Lester Morrow, didn't you? Yeah? Any new developments plenty. Hastings is taking him across the state line to violate Marro's parole. Send him back to prison. Oh great, can we stop him? The train arrives in Hills City at ten after midnight. They're in car fourteen, compartment C fourteen. C got it? Why did'd you tell us sooner? I wanted the evidence to work against Hastings. This way, you have proof that he actually forced Mara to take the trip. Mm hmm. Should be room for a tiny little kidnapping charge. Missus Mara will be happy to file charges. I'm sure good'll get you off the hook. Commies will blame her. Will the charge of kidnapping hold up? Sure it will. And there's also a fraud charge that'll pull that COMMI Employment agency down around their ears. Good, hey, things will have a few brass monkeys of his own. Now what never mind? Well, thanks Fleann, Thanks. To you, Matt, and we'll meet that train. Don't worry. I left the phone booth and headed away from the railroad depot. I knew that the FBI would nab Hastings and clear Morrow. But in the eyes of mister and missus Morrow, I'd never be cleared. I'd always be the red conspirator, the man of pecherie and deceit, and I'd never be able to tell him the truth. Never for there's no one to. Talk to when you walk the way of the commies, no one to listen when you walk alone. Dana Andrews will return in just a moment. This is Dana Andrews. Friends. The next time you read of an aggressor nation flexing its muscles in the face of the rest of the world, remember these lines from Ecclesiastes. Wisdom is better than weapons. Of war, but one sinner destroy it much good. Let's pray that in our world wise will outnumber the sentence. In this story, as in all others, names, dates, and places are fictitious to protect innocent persons. Next week, another fantastic adventure. Join us, won't you,