Counterspy: The Housing Racket

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Welcome to the Great Adventurers of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
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This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're
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going to bring you this week's episode of Counterspy. But
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first I do want to encourage you. If you're enjoying
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the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software.
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And today's program is also brought to you in part
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by the financial support of our listeners. You can support
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the show on a one time basis at support dot
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great Detectives dot net, or become one of our ongoing
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Patreon supporters for as little as two dollars per month
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at Patreon dot great Detectives dot net. Well, today's episode
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brings us to May of nineteen forty eight, and it's
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worth noting what a significant gap there is in series,
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as there was only one episode before this from the
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post war era, and that one was a rehearsal. However,
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this starts one of those really wonderful strings where we
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actually have consecutive episodes for three weeks in a row.
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This was actually the three hundred and third episode of
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Counterspy the original air date May twenty third, nineteen forty eight,
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and this is the Housing Racket but I like the
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slightly less popular but better sounding the Bunco builders.
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David Hardy pound Spy presented by the makers of Old
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Nick and Better Honey Candy bars. And today we're happy
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to be able to repeat a special money saving offer
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for all you folks who enjoy Old Nick and Better
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Honey candybuyes.
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We offer a thirteen inch stainlessly slicing knife, guaranteed to
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equal knivee selling it seventy five cents to one dollar.
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Sent to you for only twenty five cents in coin
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with two rappers from either Old Nick or Bit of
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Honey Candy Bars.
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Here's where to send your order.
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Send to Old Nick Box one forty four, New York eight,
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New York.
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We'll repeat this address later, so have a pencil and
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paper ready to get the address correct.
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And listen later for complete details.
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Washington calling David Hooding, counter Spine Washington calling David Honding,
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counter spine Parting, counter Spy calling Washington, David Harding, Cheap
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United States counter Spies, especially appointed to investigate and combat
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the enemies of our country, both at home and abroad,
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and a secure for every American the rights which are
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his under our Constitutionney.
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I didn't expect you to come home.
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Oh, I couldn't do any work after you called and
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told me about Kathy. How is she?
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The doctor still with her?
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Andy?
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He thinks it might be pneumonia. Well, how did she
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look feverish? She was whimpering when the doctor came.
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It feels so powerless.
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When they're too young, they can't tell you what hurts,
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what's wrong.
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Yeah, and she'll be all right.
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Of course she will die.
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Now.
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Why don't you resper? Why you didn't sleep at all
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last night?
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Need you?
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Let's not argue the point you Oh hello, hello doctor?
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How you didn't have to come home from work? I
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wanted to the babies.
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How is she?
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Doctor?
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She's holding her own, mister Garum. I'd like to order
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a portable oxygen tent, just as a precaution order whatever
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you need. It's maybe a little expensive, Doc, it doesn't matter,
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I know.
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I just wanted to keep everything straight.
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Now. Is there another room in the house that we
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could move her to for sure?
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Oh?
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What do you want to move her for?
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Doctor?
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Well, I'd like a place that isn't quite as damp
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and drafty.
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Oh, that's the driest room we have except the kitchen.
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I see, well, we'll manage all right.
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This whole place drips water three days after every rain.
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Really, I thought these houses were just built.
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They were, but not very well. Oh well, don't wronger.
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We'll move her to the hospital. Yeah, sure, say.
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Tell me, doctor, this house has been damp and drafty
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from almost the first month we moved in. Could living
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here have caused Kathy's pneumonia?
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Now?
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I wouldn't like to be pinned down as for the cause,
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but well, i'd certainly say that living here hasn't helped
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to avoid it.
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I see Kathy will get better, won't she?
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Yes? But but what doctor, Well, if you can manage it,
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I think she should get out of this climate for
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a while. I should suggest the South for a month
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or two.
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South.
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Thanks, doctor, we'll take your advice.
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Andy, we'll talk it over, Eadie.
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Well, now I'll get back to my patient.
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Andy, we can't afford the trip south this time, you
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bet we can.
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Will the money come from from this dream house we bought.
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We're not going to make any more payments on it.
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We'll use the money to send you in Kathy south
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for a while.
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But what about the money We've already put into the house.
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I'll think of something.
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Oh, Darling, we can't afford to lose all that.
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Can we afford to lose Kathy?
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And I'm sorry, honey, I shouldn't have said that.
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I just don't want you to worry about anything except her.
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If we're not going to give mister Hobbs any more money,
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what will we do when we get the mortgage state.
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I'm not sure, darling, but that's not your worry. Now,
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you start planning for that trip south the minute the
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doctor says okay, you and Kathy go Andy.
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You didn't have to get a room mat on the train.
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We could have gone by day coach Edy, it's already
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paid poor, don't bread about it. Enjoy you all right?
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Kathy looks good.
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Doesn't she.
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I hope she takes the trip all right?
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And she's starting off okay and sleeping like a log
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on that seat.
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Oh, there's been a lot of excitement for a one year.
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Old, I guess so, Darling. I wish you could go
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with us, so do I. Somebody has to work.
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What are you doing about the mortgage payment thing?
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Well, I've been talking to some of our neighbors in
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the development. They've been stuck, just like we have together.
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We may work something out.
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Don't get into any trouble, an I.
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Won't, darny, But don't you worry about it. Just have
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a good time.
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Well, now, better get off this train or I'll be
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going with you.
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Goodbye, goodbye, darning.
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Mister Bradley, Andy gorm Yes, can you come over to
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my place tonight about eight o'clock?
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Yeah, that's right.
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See what we can do about these salt boxes that
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we're sold to us as houses?
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Good?
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I'll expect you, Harold Andy, eight tonight, okay for you?
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Yeah?
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Yeah, my place right be seeing you, Tommy, Andy, We're
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gonna beet here tonight. Count on you good eight o'clock. Bye.
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I know some of us here paid a little more
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for our houses than the rest of us, a larger
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house or more land. But whatever you paid, I think
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we're all agreed that it was too much for what
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we got, no question about that. Now. Our individual complaints
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are pretty similar. Green wood, flooded cellars, crumbling foundations, poor flashings,
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bad drainage.
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You know them as well as I.
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Do, perhaps better, Andy, perhaps, But.
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The point is the majority of them can be repaired.
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Cato's expense yeah, yeah, I don't want to sink any
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any more money into my house. You won't have to, Tommy,
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at least I hope not.
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And who will mister Gora.
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If we all stick together, mister Bradley, I think we
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can make the open up real estate company bear the expense.
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What you've been drinking?
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Andy, No, I'm serious and stream yeah, but that's all
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it is, mister Hobbs. The real estate company has only
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one interest in these houses now. It's not repairing them.
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It's collecting on the mortgage, right, Tommy, And that's our weapon.
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We refuse to pay those mortgages. What until steps are
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taken to remedy our complaints?
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What about foreclosure?
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Well that is a possibility, mister Bradley, and we should
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face it. But if we all stick together, I doubt
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that mister Hobbs will foreclose on forty five houses at once.
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It would certainly be bad publicity if he did. Whether
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or not that will bother him, I don't know. But
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not getting his money will?
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Can we get in trouble though?
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Well? To be honest, I'm not sure. I think we
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should get legal advice and keep the whole affair above board.
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How'd you go about it.
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Mister, Well, I believe we should draw up a statement
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of what we intend to do, and why then send
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copies of it to the government housing authorities, the Veterans Administration,
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and any other federal and state agencies concerned, just to
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get ourselves on the record.
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It's a good idea, there is sound.
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Now after that, we pool our monthly mortgage statements and
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appoint one man to present them to mister Hobbes to
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tell him that they won't be paid until our homes
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are made habitable and worth the purchase price agreed on.
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Now that's the whole idea. How do you feel about it? Well,
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it's certainly better than just putting up with paying for
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these crack of boxes. I'll go along with it. I'm
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glad to hear that, mister Bradley, and I'll make the
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first motion of this informal association that Andy Gorham be
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the man we appoint to talk to mister Clifford Hobbes.
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All right, all right, I will, and I'll do my
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best to get more out of him than just conversation.
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Candish by headquarters, Yes, mister Secretary, I'll connect.
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Cannish by headquarters. Busy hold on please, yes.
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Mister Hardy, mister Peters, thank you, dud.
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You come into my office for a minute.
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Peters, okay, Chape and bring a copy of that memoranda.
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From the Veteran's Administration, which.
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One that letter from the xgis who are reputing to
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honor their mortgage statements.
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Oh yes, be writ in Chap. What do you think
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about it, Peter, Well, from the way they describe their
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house as chief, I sympathize with them, But I don't
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see that there's anything we can do or we could
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conduct an investigation of what There's no visible cause for
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criminal proceedings as I know the stale. Two agencies have
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already called asking us to investigate, uh, the Federal Housing
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Administration and the National Association of home Builders. Association of
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home Builders. That's the private builder's outfit, isn't it. Yes,
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reputable builders in all large cities.
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What's their interest in this?
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Well, a story like this is bound to get publicity.
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The public will read that publicity and they'll cast all
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contractors and home builders in the same role as this
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Oaknub Realty company.
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They won't differentiate.
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So the National Association wants to get on record as
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opposing these practice thats in in the FAHA. They don't
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think any outfit that can stir up as much resentment
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as this company did could be completely legitimate. Then we
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do investigate. I think we should beaters. I want you
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to assign two agents to check the companies and corporation
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papers and any other related documents of public record. Right
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also get train reservations for us to Ashville. We'll question
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this man who signed this letter for the veterans, This
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Andrew Gorrum.
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Back to our old Nick David Harding caller spy caves
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in a moment. Now, I want to tell you, folks,
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how you can get one of the most useful knives
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you've ever had in your home at a fraction of
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the price you'd expect to pay. It's a handy, helpful
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slicing knife nearly thirteen inches long with a blade of
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gleaming lifetime stainless steel.
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And notice this especially, the blade is hollow ground.
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If you know knives, you know that hollow grinding makes
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for a longer lasting, keener edge. And you know it's
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a process which is usually found only in knives costing
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two dollars or more. Yet you can get this knife
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for only twenty five cents with two rappers from either
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Old Nick or Bit of Honey candy bars. Yes, to
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get your stainless steel slicing knife, just send twenty five
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cents in coin with two Old Nick or Bit of
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Honey rappers to Old Nick Box one forty four, New
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York eight, New York.
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Old Nick Box one forty four, New York eight, New York.
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We can make this offer only because we have a
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special arrangement with a famous cutlery manufacturer. He is the
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only one in the country who has this new secret
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process by which long lasting stainless steel can be successfully
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hollow ground.
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We guarantee that.
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This stainless steel slicing knife would compare favorably with knives
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costing seventy five cents to one dollar even without the
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special process hollow grinding. But hollow grinding gives this knife
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longer life, a keener edge, and greater usefulness. So when
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you send in, you're really getting extra value. An outstanding
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bargain buy. But remember the address Old Nick Box one
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forty four, New York eight, New York. For each stainless
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steel slicing knife you want, send us two rappers from
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either Old Nick or bit of honey candy bars and
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twenty five cents in coin. The offer may be withdrawn
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at any time because the supply is limited, so be
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sure of your quick cut slicing knife.
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Send your order today.
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Now back to our old nick David Harding Cowder Spike.
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Let's drop the act. Mister Hobbs. You know perfectly well
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and not a single one of us is satisfied with
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this house.
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I hope you didn't come in here just to argue.
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No, mister Hobbs, I didn't. I came in to give
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you these here mortgage statements you mailed out a few
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days ago, all forty five of them, and until you
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do something about the condition of the oak Nub house
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at Homes, that's all you're going to get every month.
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Your statement's back again.
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I'm not sure I understand.
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It's simple enough, mister Hobbs. You either take care of
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the complaints we made about the houses, or we refuse.
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To pay for You can't do that now. Poor clothes
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on you.
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If you'd like to make forty five foreclosures with the
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publicity that would a result, go ahead. I'll take you
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to court. That may do some good. We'll find out
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in court.
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Now look here, garum, isn't there some way we can
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get together on this thing?
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Yes?
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Now, start repairs on the houses, all forty five. Now, look,
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I can't spend the company's money on my own. Say so,
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I've got investors and stockholders to think that.
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We've got families to think of. We paid for decent
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places to live, and we want them.
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Now, why don't you be sensible about this, Garam?
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Just what do you consider sensible?
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00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:12.000
Well, you made a lot of complaints about your house.
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Suppose suppose I take care of those complaints.
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And the other houses in the development forget them.
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Worry about yourself.
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That's an attractive offer.
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I know a smart man when I see one.
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Thanks, and I assure you I'm smart enough to know
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why you're making this offer. What do you mean You're
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not impressed by me? You're impressed by the fact that
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I'm representing all of the homes you hold mortgages on. Well,
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I intend to keep it that way, since our only
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strength is in sticking together them.
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Don't be a fool. I'll make offer even more attractive.
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You will listen to a deal, mister Hobbs. The only
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deal I'll make will involve all forty five homeowners. When
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you're ready to talk one like that, call me up.
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Until then you can whistle for your money.
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Goodbye.
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Not a bad looking house on the surface, chief, Take
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a closer look, Peters.
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Some of those clambers up there are warped.
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Oh I didn't notice. Yes, mister Andrew Gorham, that's right.
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My name is David Harding. This is mister Harry Peters.
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How do you do? What can I do for you?
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Ar credentials from the United States? Counterspire? Oh, oh, come in,
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00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:28.960
thank you. I imagine you know why we're here. Yes,
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I think so. Oh won't you sit down? Or isn't
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that the customary procedure before and arrest?
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Arrest?
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I think you've got us wrong, mister Gorham. We're here
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just to ask questions. Oh, well, go right ahead. We
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want to stay within the law. Well, mister Gourham, what
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00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:46.960
do you expect to gain by this decent homes and
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good repair. You weren't forced into buying this house, were you?
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No?
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I know, mister Harding, caveat emptor let the buyer beware.
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But in a tight market like housing, I think the
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seller should have some responsibility for what he sells.
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00:16:59.159 --> 00:17:00.000
You've got a point there.
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When did you notice defects beginning to show up in
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your homes, mister Gorham, four or five months after they
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were built. You don't have fired the building company. Yes,
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00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:09.200
but they didn't pay any attention until we all got together.
344
00:17:09.640 --> 00:17:13.680
Oh you're getting results then, well, not exactly results, but
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we've made mister Hobbs or the open up company rather unhappy.
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I should imagine he would be.
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He offered to fix up my house and possibly throw
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in a little money if I'd forget the whole affair,
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just your house, not the others.
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That's right.
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Sounds a little off key, doesn't it She Yeah, I
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thought so too. If it were only faulty construction, Hobbs
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could take the case to civil court and make some
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kind of an adjustment that would be fair all around.
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Heres.
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If he's an honest man, well, I know of nothing
357
00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:39.079
that could prove he isn't. Well. I don't think a
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man who's on the level would have tried to buy
359
00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:42.200
you off. I agree, mister Peters.
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00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:44.359
Mister Gorham, what did you pay for this house?
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Ten five hundred dollars? Are all the houses in the
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00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:49.839
development at the same price? No, they run from nine
363
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to five to twelve five. I see, well, I'd like
364
00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:55.200
to run tests of the structural defects in a few
365
00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:57.279
of these homes, have a responsible build to look them over.
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00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:59.079
Do you think that'd be all right with your neighbors.
367
00:17:59.079 --> 00:18:01.440
I'm sure it would, mister. We will agree to anything
368
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to get some action. You set that up with you
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00:18:02.839 --> 00:18:06.000
Peters and mister Gorham. If mister Hobbs should get in
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00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:08.559
touch with you with another personal offer, let me know,
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00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:11.279
all right, mister Hardy, I can't guarantee results, but I
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00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:13.680
can guarantee you that we'll make a thorough investigation of
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this whole affair.
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00:18:28.440 --> 00:18:33.920
Hello, Bernie, oh Hobbs, mister Mankato up yet? Yeah, he's
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00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:36.480
having breakfast in bed and I have to see him
376
00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:39.640
right away. You won't like that either away. But there's
377
00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:42.839
a little trouble. Trouble. I thought this set up was
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strictly legitimate. Well, things go wrong and we put them right,
379
00:18:47.079 --> 00:18:47.920
and I hope you can.
380
00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:51.559
What is it, Barnie Hobbs, He wants to see you.
381
00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:54.039
I'm sorry to disturb you at this time.
382
00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:57.319
Mister Manketo, Okay, you did, now what's on your mind?
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00:18:57.359 --> 00:18:59.599
You got a simple job there ought to have been
384
00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:04.000
no problem. Alfred Rado, what's so hard about collecting the mortgages?
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00:19:04.039 --> 00:19:07.920
I hold simply they won't pay, But they're beginning to
386
00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:09.440
get wise to the fact that they were stuck with
387
00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:10.079
those houses.
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00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:13.440
I'll share a tear for them. They bought them, they'll
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00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:16.799
pay for them. Strictly legitimate. You want the case to
390
00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:19.960
get the cord ain't gonna get there. They're gonna pay.
391
00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:23.440
Not According to Andy Gurum, who is he one of
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00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:25.960
the men who bought a house. He's representing them all
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00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:29.799
trouble maker round. He's not easy to get along with.
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00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:33.920
And we'll see them on that barney. Yeah, I advise
395
00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:37.559
you to be cautious, mister Mancato, wape your advice. All
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00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:39.680
my doughs tied up in those houses.
397
00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:40.000
Money.
398
00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:40.960
I got the hard way.
399
00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:44.279
R I'm running in the twenties, policies in the thirties,
400
00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:46.839
black markets during the war.
401
00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:50.960
Gonna keep it a hard way if I have to.
402
00:19:51.400 --> 00:19:54.279
In terms have changed, mister Mankato. People have different ideas now.
403
00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:57.799
Nothing changes. People are the same. They only wear different clothes.
404
00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:01.359
You push them around, they do like say, I.
405
00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:05.160
Push yeah, gon more be easy. I tried to buy
406
00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:09.279
him off. He wouldn't sell one of those guys. Yeah,
407
00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:11.279
Barnie knows how to handle them.
408
00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:13.119
He'll still have the others to do. We want to
409
00:20:13.160 --> 00:20:17.400
be a jerk, Bonnie. You were with me in that
410
00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:20.839
poultry racket in the Bronx. Yeah, what happens when you
411
00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:22.319
chop a chicken's head off?
412
00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:27.240
He kicks a little and he dies. Get the idea
413
00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:30.240
of hobbs. Don't be too hasty about this, mister Mankato,
414
00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:31.240
who's being hasty?
415
00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:34.680
Bonnie picks this guy up. We try to reason with him.
416
00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:37.920
He don't reason. It's just touf luck that he's the
417
00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:42.000
head of the chicken, the part that gets chopped off.
418
00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:54.519
Well, that fills in the picture with mortive right.
419
00:20:55.200 --> 00:21:00.880
Good buy him. Hello, Chief, I've got something interesting for you.
420
00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:03.960
I've got something more than interesting, criminal h I've been
421
00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:06.640
over to the local FHA office getting information via teletype
422
00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:08.839
from their Washington headquarters. You can pin something on the
423
00:21:08.839 --> 00:21:11.519
realty company a false statement in their building application of
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00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:13.960
the government. They said those homes they built wouldn't sell
425
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for more than seven five hundred dollars. That's how they
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00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:19.599
got their application approved. I'm not surprised. Why what have
427
00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:22.279
you got Chief. You know who holds ninety percent of
428
00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:26.759
the company. Who mister Christopher man Cato, Chris man Cato,
429
00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:29.039
the racketeer who said he was going to retire, that's
430
00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:29.559
the one.
431
00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:31.519
Only he doesn't seem to have kept his promise.
432
00:21:31.640 --> 00:21:33.839
No, at the prices he sold those houses is profits
433
00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:36.559
two hundred percent. That's a record in anybody's language. We'll
434
00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:38.960
close in fastpeaeders. So far, the company hasn't any idea
435
00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:40.920
that we're investigating. We should be able to attach all
436
00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:43.319
our files and records for criminal and civil prosecution.
437
00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:44.119
What do we go for?
438
00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:46.640
I'm Kato or Hobbs our first Hobbes he signed the
439
00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:48.359
building application. He'll lead us to Mankato.
440
00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:51.000
What about Andy Gorhum Chief, ask him to come down here,
441
00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:52.720
start him on a full statement of the whole affair.
442
00:21:53.279 --> 00:22:03.920
I'll pay a little visit to mister Hobbs, mister.
443
00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:07.160
Harding, I had no idea your organization would be involved
444
00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:11.440
in this. It's a very unfortunate situation. I'm sure it is.
445
00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:11.799
Oh.
446
00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:14.319
I can see the viewpoint of mister Gorham and the
447
00:22:14.359 --> 00:22:17.559
rest of the homeowners, But I have my stockholders to
448
00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.160
look out for.
449
00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:19.200
And who are they?
450
00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:23.160
Why? Various people I can't name them all off hand.
451
00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:26.880
You go to great links to show your stockholders a profit,
452
00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:29.839
don't you, mister Hobbs, What do you mean? I have
453
00:22:29.880 --> 00:22:32.039
a copy of a building application you made to the government.
454
00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:35.599
Oh you said those houses would sell for seven five
455
00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:36.359
hundred dollars.
456
00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:39.400
You charged more than that? Why a false statement is
457
00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:41.960
a serious offense, mister Hobbs. A prison sentence goes with it.
458
00:22:41.960 --> 00:22:44.279
But I don't never mind. I'll take that. Let's sit
459
00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:47.680
where you are? Hello? Open up really company?
460
00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:48.960
Oh yes, Peter?
461
00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:50.279
Oh cheep? What is it?
462
00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:51.359
I can't okay?
463
00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:53.960
Gorum what he left his office to go to lunch,
464
00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:56.079
He didn't come beac and he has them going home.
465
00:22:56.599 --> 00:22:59.599
I don't like it, you, particularly since Manketo was involved.
466
00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:01.960
We'll find out if he's got anything to do with
467
00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:03.319
Gorham's disappearance soon enough.
468
00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:04.480
Come over here right away.
469
00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:07.519
I have and I'll give you odds that he tells
470
00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:10.160
me everything we want to know before you arrive, including
471
00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:27.200
where Mankato is. Won't you, mister Hobbs, You know you're
472
00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:29.920
being silly. Kid. You want to listen to reason? What's
473
00:23:29.960 --> 00:23:32.480
your interest in this? Don't be curious, just be smart.
474
00:23:32.920 --> 00:23:34.559
Say the word and you go out of here in
475
00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:36.519
a new house in a couple of bucks.
476
00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:38.880
And I'll suppose I did. Do you think the rest
477
00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:40.599
of the fellows would pay off and take it lying down?
478
00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:45.079
I'll worry about that. Take away the head, you take
479
00:23:45.079 --> 00:23:48.079
away the power. See the deal?
480
00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:50.799
No, okay, Bonnie?
481
00:23:51.640 --> 00:23:52.559
Yeah sure.
482
00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:02.839
The jack kid Bonnie's hand can hold out longer in
483
00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:03.480
your face.
484
00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:05.880
Yeah, well, you won't get away with.
485
00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:10.000
This the original kid. Everybody says that one last time.
486
00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:11.799
Is it a deal?
487
00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:16.440
No? So bad, But in a way it's good.
488
00:24:16.519 --> 00:24:17.920
You saved me some dull.
489
00:24:19.319 --> 00:24:22.799
Looks like you do a real job, Bonnie. Okay, here
490
00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:25.880
is someplace else, someplace else. I don't like funeral. What
491
00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:29.000
do you mean you're not going to knock you off? Yeah, kid,
492
00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:33.000
your object lesson number one. Nobody likes to die, and
493
00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:35.319
they might think twice bout kicking up a fuss with
494
00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:36.279
you as an example.
495
00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:39.440
Let's can the chatter Chris and get it over with her.
496
00:24:39.880 --> 00:24:45.440
You're an apartment, Barnie. Yeah, somebody crossed this post.
497
00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:48.039
Hey, where you are, mister Hart?
498
00:24:48.039 --> 00:24:48.400
One time?
499
00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:48.680
Peter?
500
00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:53.119
That's right, man, Cato, easy, Bonnie, I wouldn't like to
501
00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:53.799
shoot you, all right?
502
00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:56.640
And a little bit worse for the wear. I'm glad
503
00:24:56.680 --> 00:24:58.880
you came. And that's an understatement, all right, Peter, put
504
00:24:58.920 --> 00:24:59.960
cups all, Mankato and Barnie.
505
00:25:00.119 --> 00:25:02.680
Okay, nobody's going to make trouble. I get lawyers, you'll
506
00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:03.119
need them.
507
00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:05.640
What happened to him? And that gorilla Barney picked me up?
508
00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:07.640
I didn't know what it was all about. Man Cato
509
00:25:07.720 --> 00:25:09.680
is the man behind the Oaknu real estate company.
510
00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:12.000
That's his interest. Yeah, and by rights I should be
511
00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:14.079
suing this guy. He's the one who's not paying off.
512
00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:16.359
I just wanted to save the courts a lot of trouble.
513
00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:18.200
That's nice of you, Man Cato, but I'm sure they'll
514
00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:19.880
find it no trouble at all to convict you of
515
00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:35.279
false statements and fraud. Take them, moy, Peter, Mister Harding
516
00:25:35.319 --> 00:25:37.160
will be back in a moment with a special guest.
517
00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:41.240
You know, friends, I want to be sure that every
518
00:25:41.319 --> 00:25:43.599
Counterspy listener has a chance to get one of our
519
00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:46.920
outstanding stainless steel slicing knives. So if the lady of
520
00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:49.200
the house isn't listening now, be sure you tell her
521
00:25:49.240 --> 00:25:52.119
about this offer, or better still, send in for one
522
00:25:52.200 --> 00:25:56.039
for her. Remember this is an extra useful slicing knife,
523
00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:59.440
guaranteed to compare with knives costing seventy five cents to
524
00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:03.039
one dollar. Because of a new secret process, we've been
525
00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:06.559
able to have this knife hollow ground, a feature usually
526
00:26:06.599 --> 00:26:09.599
found only in knives costing two dollars or more.
527
00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:11.720
But this slicing knife is.
528
00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:15.240
Offered to you today for only a quarter with two
529
00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:18.039
wrappers from Old Mick or Bit of Honey candy bars.
530
00:26:18.119 --> 00:26:21.599
Our slicing knife has a blade that is gleaming stainless steel,
531
00:26:22.039 --> 00:26:25.359
hollow ground with a razor sharp edge, hollow ground by
532
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a special exclusive process to keep its sharpness for a
533
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long long time.
534
00:26:30.279 --> 00:26:33.960
The handle is polished blonde hardwood, designed to fit your
535
00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:37.200
hands smoothly and comfortably with a non slipt grip.
536
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You'll be proud to.
537
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Use it as a carving knife at your nicest dinner party.
538
00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:44.279
And your stainless steel slicing knife will stand up for
539
00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:48.799
years of hardest kitchenware. It's stronger, it's extra sharp, it's
540
00:26:48.920 --> 00:26:52.200
extra useful. You may want two of these fine knives,
541
00:26:52.359 --> 00:26:55.480
so here's what to do. For each stainless steel slicing
542
00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:58.680
knife you want. Send in two Old Mick or Bit
543
00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:02.279
of honey wrappers with five cents. Please use coin, do
544
00:27:02.359 --> 00:27:05.759
not use stamps or checks. Send to Old nick Box
545
00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:08.799
one forty four, New York eight, New York.
546
00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:13.079
Old nick Box one forty four, New York eight, New York.
547
00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:16.000
Send your order now while you still thinking about it.
548
00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:24.880
The quality is limited, so send in today. This is
549
00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:27.839
David Harding. Now we're happy to present the executive Vice
550
00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:31.440
President of the National Association of home Builders, mister Frank W.
551
00:27:31.559 --> 00:27:32.000
Cordwright.
552
00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:36.400
Tomorrow of the night's episode is an important one. Don't
553
00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:40.680
buy a new home without knowing everything about it. Unfortunately,
554
00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:43.839
some fly to night operators, like the ones you just
555
00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:48.799
heard dramatized, have tried to capitalize on the immense housing demand.
556
00:27:49.559 --> 00:27:52.039
In order to drive these unscrupulous people out of the
557
00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:54.960
home building business, we must have the help of the
558
00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:58.079
home buying public. Your part of the job is to
559
00:27:58.119 --> 00:28:02.519
be sure you're buying good value and quality. Be sure
560
00:28:02.519 --> 00:28:05.960
that the home is well constructed and well situated, that
561
00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:09.160
it is properly priced and financed, and that it is
562
00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:12.839
being built and sold by a reputable builder. These are
563
00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:16.000
all easy things to learn before buying a house, things
564
00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:18.759
that one generally makes very sure of before buying many
565
00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:19.960
less expensive things.
566
00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:23.000
Remember this home building.
567
00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:27.920
Requires skill, integrity, and years of experience. We came out
568
00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:30.880
of the war with a most serious housing shortage, but
569
00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:33.920
by this time we're approaching the two million mark and
570
00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:36.319
are beginning to meet the most critical part of the
571
00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:40.960
veterans' housing needs. Speaking for the National Association of Homebuilders,
572
00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:44.480
I can assure you that it's many thousands of members
573
00:28:44.920 --> 00:28:48.759
will continue to build good houses at fair prices.
574
00:28:49.079 --> 00:28:56.279
Thank you, mister Colwright. Tune in next Sunday, same time,
575
00:28:56.440 --> 00:28:59.720
same station for the Case of the Photogenic Crook whose
576
00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:03.440
game deld in hot money until the counter spies worked
577
00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:06.559
out a scheme to put their activities on ice. The
578
00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:18.680
Case of the Camera happy Crook on David Harding counter Spy.
579
00:29:22.279 --> 00:29:25.480
Tonight's David Harding Counterspy Case was directed by William M.
580
00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:28.920
Sweets and was dramatized by Palmer Thompson, with music by
581
00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:33.039
Jesse Crawford and featured Don McLaughlan and Mandel Kramer. David
582
00:29:33.039 --> 00:29:36.720
Harding cowter Spy as a Phillips h Lord production, originating
583
00:29:36.720 --> 00:29:39.119
in New York for the makers of Old Nick and
584
00:29:39.240 --> 00:29:44.480
Better Honey Candy Bars. Now a listening reminder when Drew
585
00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:47.680
Pearson looks ahead, he usually comes out with a fascinating prediction.
586
00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:50.920
Be sure to hear Pearson tonight over this ABC station
587
00:29:51.240 --> 00:29:53.920
as his ABC the American Broadcasting Company.
588
00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:56.559
Welcome back.
589
00:29:56.960 --> 00:30:01.640
Well, this episode dealt with a really signific eificant social
590
00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:06.359
problem after the war, which was housing. And you'll hear
591
00:30:06.440 --> 00:30:11.039
that hinted about in so many old time radio programs,
592
00:30:11.079 --> 00:30:14.519
and I'll think the scenes focusing on that were pretty
593
00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:18.680
effective at establishing this problem and what was going on
594
00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:21.480
and what some people might have done about it. But
595
00:30:21.640 --> 00:30:25.640
the big problem is that the series is counterspy and
596
00:30:26.200 --> 00:30:30.759
the torture logic used to insert counter spy into this
597
00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:37.400
case is kind of stunning, and the attempts to justify
598
00:30:37.480 --> 00:30:42.799
it in the conversation between Peters and Harding kind of
599
00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:47.200
make it worse. I mean, as far as they know,
600
00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:51.839
there's no criminal angle, and Peters points out this looking
601
00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:55.279
like this is just entirely civil, nothing for us to do,
602
00:30:56.039 --> 00:31:01.039
and Harding doesn't explain why there's a specific ques Prime involved,
603
00:31:01.039 --> 00:31:06.000
but it's like, hey, you know, there's a FAJA wants
604
00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:08.920
us to look into it, and there's also an industry group,
605
00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:12.599
so we're gonna look into it bring the full force
606
00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:17.319
of the federal government and the powerful counter spy agency
607
00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:19.960
to bear on this problem, and we'll solve it.
608
00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:20.759
Now.
609
00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:25.839
Of course, you can kind of retroactively justify this because
610
00:31:25.880 --> 00:31:30.960
they found the fraud and because the Mob Boss was involved,
611
00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:34.519
but still this is such a stretch for Counterspy. And
612
00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:39.279
the weird thing is that this wasn't Phillips Lord's only show.
613
00:31:39.799 --> 00:31:44.319
He had mister District Attorney, and this would have fit
614
00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:48.000
a lot better over there. Our mob Boss apparently has
615
00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:56.920
only two settings for persuasion, either bribery or quick execution.
616
00:31:57.400 --> 00:32:01.720
It just seemed to escalate so quickly, and again it
617
00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:07.359
is the fact that overall plot really doesn't fit Counterspy.
618
00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:12.759
Even with the expanded law enforcement approach that we saw
619
00:32:12.799 --> 00:32:15.920
in last week's show, this felt like they were trying
620
00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:21.720
to address an issue out of scope, and that is
621
00:32:22.440 --> 00:32:26.279
really problematic, know whether it was done in the nineteen
622
00:32:26.440 --> 00:32:30.559
forties or whether it's done today, when you're so concerned
623
00:32:30.599 --> 00:32:35.440
about addressing a particular social issue and you don't have
624
00:32:35.480 --> 00:32:41.200
a story that actually fits what your series is about.
625
00:32:41.880 --> 00:32:47.519
Start on Patreon with a comment regarding the explosive dog
626
00:32:48.160 --> 00:32:51.519
Jeff Wrights blowing up a dog makes for quite an
627
00:32:51.559 --> 00:32:55.079
emotional episode, at least for me, made villains even worse.
628
00:32:55.640 --> 00:32:58.920
Dog food angle at the end was clever. I had
629
00:32:59.039 --> 00:33:03.119
talked this might have been on the Great Detectives podcast
630
00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:06.759
about how our views of pets has kind of changed
631
00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:10.720
over the years, and I think people love dogs in
632
00:33:10.759 --> 00:33:15.839
the nineteen forties, but that's become even more intense, which
633
00:33:16.279 --> 00:33:20.559
leads to some plot points hitting very differently or more
634
00:33:20.599 --> 00:33:24.440
intensely with modern audiences. And that might be a case
635
00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:27.559
of it. And it definitely hit that way with me too,
636
00:33:27.880 --> 00:33:32.200
And it's probably one of the lesser discussed aspects of
637
00:33:32.279 --> 00:33:38.240
old time radio that can cause some challenges for modern listeners.
638
00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:43.400
Doctor Who Done It comments on the same issue on Spotify.
639
00:33:44.519 --> 00:33:48.319
When the cabby and the dog are louder than the explosion,
640
00:33:48.599 --> 00:33:52.759
come on sound effects, guy, I did go back and
641
00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:57.519
listen to that portion. Again, I don't pick apart sound
642
00:33:57.519 --> 00:34:01.519
effects too much, but I I think that there's a
643
00:34:01.599 --> 00:34:04.240
really good point here, because when I listened to that,
644
00:34:04.440 --> 00:34:09.079
just focusing on that effect, it sounded like maybe a
645
00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:14.760
thunderstorm had started. To be fair, I think it can
646
00:34:15.400 --> 00:34:18.800
be a challenge with the resources that you would have
647
00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:26.079
had in the nineteen forties to using fully effects make
648
00:34:26.360 --> 00:34:31.000
an explosion sound realistic and well realized. We've got a
649
00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:34.599
lot more tools for that over audio today. What may
650
00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:41.360
have made this one sound more problematic is that you
651
00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:47.480
had this very loud, intense scenes with the dogs and
652
00:34:47.519 --> 00:34:50.840
the shouting, and that all being louder than the explosion
653
00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:54.599
creates a problem. It might not be so dramatic a
654
00:34:54.679 --> 00:35:01.360
difference if the explosion came after soft dramatic music, but
655
00:35:01.639 --> 00:35:08.199
really stands out if you're coming out of another very
656
00:35:08.239 --> 00:35:12.880
loud scene. I will also say sound was a bit
657
00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:16.480
off on today's episode. I don't think I got into
658
00:35:16.519 --> 00:35:19.000
that because I got hung up on the plot. But
659
00:35:19.360 --> 00:35:24.840
the booming intro for David Hardy, that was just wow.
660
00:35:25.039 --> 00:35:30.360
It's like they think the show gets better as the
661
00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:35.480
intro gets louder. We'll see if that trend continues. All right, Well,
662
00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:38.760
now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day,
663
00:35:38.960 --> 00:35:43.599
and I want to thank Judith, Patreon supporter since December,
664
00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:47.440
currently supporting the podcast at the cadet level of two
665
00:35:47.480 --> 00:35:50.599
dollars or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Judith,
666
00:35:51.000 --> 00:35:53.679
and that will do it for today. If you're enjoying
667
00:35:53.679 --> 00:35:58.559
this podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software.
668
00:35:58.880 --> 00:36:02.159
We'll be back in two weeks with another episode of
669
00:36:02.360 --> 00:36:07.920
Counterspy on Core Presentations this week on the Great Adventurers podcast,
670
00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:12.440
but on the Great Detectives podcast. Join us back here
671
00:36:12.519 --> 00:36:17.440
tomorrow for our four thousand, nine hundred and fiftieth episode special.
672
00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:21.159
In the meantime, do send your comments to Box thirteen
673
00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:25.079
at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at
674
00:36:25.239 --> 00:36:29.280
Radio Detectives, and check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot
675
00:36:29.320 --> 00:36:34.119
com slash Great Detectives From Boise, Idaho. This is your host,
676
00:36:34.280 --> 00:36:36.000
Adam Graham signing off.