As Young as You Feel Page #3

- What do they want?

- Another restroom on the second floor.

Okay. Get it installed immediately.

I'm not letting our relations

with Consolidated be disrupted

over some bookbinder's comfort.

Harriet, who's head of the program

committee at the Chamber of Commerce?

- Arnold Willoughby.

- I want to talk to him on the phone.

Then get my wife, dear.

- What does he look like?

- Great guns! Don't you know?

- I never saw him in my life.

- Well, of all the idiotic things!

A big man like

Mr. Cleveland, a man who...

The president of Consolidated Motors.

[Indistinct]

Ah, Mr. McKinley, what

a pleasant surprise to find you here.

- I hadn't anticipated such a welcome.

- You're... You're...

Cleveland.

Harold P. Cleveland.

Well, how do you do, Mr. Cleveland?

This is indeed a great honor.

- Thank you.

- May I present my associates?

Oh, I recognize Mr. Saltonstall

and Mr. Gallagher too.

- A pleasure to see you, gentlemen.

- How did you know?

I make it a practice to familiarize myself

with all my associates and employees.

- Shall we go?

- Yes, of course. My car's outside.

- Take Mr. Cleveland's briefcase.

- Oh, no, thank you.

I can manage myself.

Any special department

you'd like to inspect?

We'll start with the handpress department

and the composing room.

Afterwards, I'd like a word

with your executives.

I've already issued orders for all our executives

to place themselves at your disposal.

- Splendid.

- Mr. Cleveland, may I ask...

is there any special

significance to your visit?

Special significance?

Not at all.

It's only a routine inspection tour.

That about covers it, Mr. Cleveland...

unless you'd be interested in inspecting

our personnel department.

I think I've seen all that's necessary.

[Gasping]

[McKinley] Here we are, Mr. Cleveland.

This is our conference room.

- What's the matter?

- Well, I'll be a...

- Do you know who that was?

- Sure. The president

of Consolidated Motors.

The president of Consolidated Motors,

my hind foot!

- That was John Hodges.

- Who?

John Hodges of our handpress department,

my girl's grandfather.

- Your girl's what?

- Grandfather. Didn't you see him wink at me?

- Certainly not. What are you talking about?

- AboutJohn Hodges.

The old guy who asked us the name

of the president of Consolidated Motors.

- Yes, but what about him?

- That's him in there.

Only everybody thinks he's

the president of Consolidated Motors.

Really, Elliott, you ought

to see a doctor or something.

Why in the world would

an important man like Mr. McKinley...

be wasting his time with somebody

from his own handpress department?

Sometimes, Elliott,

you're a very stupid man.

Gentlemen, I'll tell you why

I wanted to visit your plant.

As a young man, I had great admiration

for the art of printing.

I still have that feeling,

but in all frankness I must tell you...

that I've been keenly disappointed

with what I've seen here today.

Well, you've got this place

running like an automobile factory...

and that's downright foolish.

Not one single white-haired man

did I see on the job.

Where, I ask myself...

where are those men?

Those artisans.

Yes, those artists...

whose love of their craft has been

handed down from generation to generation.

- Got that, Harriet?

- Yes, sir.

Now, I know it's the policy

of Consolidated Motors...

not to hire people

65 years of age or over.

Perhaps the labor technique of putting

an automobile together requires youth.

But for the life of me,

I don't see how such an asinine policy...

and I use the word

"asinine" advisedly...

can apply to the art of printing.

My suggestion is that you forget about

the age requirements of our assembly lines...

and bring back the experienced craftsmen

who honor your trade immediately.

Harriet, take a memo

to all our executives.

"As of today, our employment policy

is no longer governed...

"by the 65-year age level.

"All employees who have

been retired for that reason...

"are to be notified immediately

that their jobs are open...

provided they wish to return to work."

Thank you, gentlemen. Now,

if you'll excuse me, I have a train to catch.

But, Mr. Cleveland,

you can't leave just yet.

I've arranged a luncheon in your honor

at the Chamber of Commerce.

- What?

- And I've taken the liberty

of engaging a suite for you.

And my wife is expecting you

for dinner tonight.

I'd never live it down

if you didn't show up.

- Well, in that case, why not?

- Thank you, Mr. Cleveland.

- This way, please.

- Pardon me, Mr. Cleveland.

Wouldn't you like me to send you

a copy of your speech?

Thank you, young lady.

I don't think it's necessary.

- I'm sure my suggestions

are going to be carried out.

- Oh, yes, indeed.

Well, Mr. Cleveland, I want you to know

I think your speech was grand.

I felt real honored just to hear it.

Oh, no, my dear.

It's I who've been honored.

Good day.

- [Chattering]

- Is he still in there?

- Who?

- John Hod... I mean, Mr. Cleveland.

Yes, he's speaking now. Wait a minute.

You can't go in. Only members...

- But I gotta find out...

- But you can't!

Today I hear a great deal of talk in this

country about the dangers of inflation...

which may lead to

another economic depression.

In a society as complicated

and delicate as ours...

we must leave no stone unturned

in our search for stability.

- And in these old and expert

men of 65 and over...

- Come back.

There is a great fund of stability.

I confess there are moments,

gentlemen...

when I regard mass production

and its subsequent benefits of

a higher standard of living...

as a two-edged sword.

As a two-edged sword.

What are we sacrificing in this

frantic chase for comfort?

Well, for one thing, we're sacrificing...

those simple dignities of life...

which have helped make ours

the greatest productive nation on Earth.

And I think that security and comforts

are wonderful things.

I'm all for social security.

But in all our quests for this security...

let us not lose sight of those things

which have made this a great nation.

Let us not forget

that our economic strength...

depends basically on one thing:

Individual initiative.

We here in America have

a great tradition to uphold...

a tradition of hard work;

a tradition of opportunity;

a tradition that every man may go

just as far up the ladder of success...

as he individually is capable of going;

a tradition that no one

in government, in industry, anywhere...

can tell him what he can do

and what he can't do...

when he can work and when he can't.

In all earnestness,

I tell you, gentlemen...

that just so long as our workers...

can go to their jobs...

with the same fervor and self-respect...

that they go to their wives...

will we be able to fight off

the threats of inflation...

and avoid the pitfalls of depression.

I thank you.

Mr. Cleveland,

may I have your autograph?

Oh, delighted. Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm not permitted to sign autographs.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes