Custer of the West Page #5

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Why we sign treaties

with one hand...

...and shoot them down

with another?

The answer is...

...corruption.

Order! Order, gentlemen!

The American people

have the right to know...

...who's responsible.

The answer is look to those...

...who are reaping in the

profits from this dual policy.

There is no reason in

investigating the military.

You're changing the subject.

I defy you to find

a single rich officer...

...in the entire United States

Army.

There is no soldier with his

face stuffed with gold bonds...

...and railroad shares.

Order! Sit down!

For the guilty parties...

...you are going to have to look

right here in Washington!

Order, order!

And you are going to have

to look in high places!

Order!

I know the men

who are responsible.

And I am going to give you

their names.

Yes! Yes!

Excuse me, but Major

the mail just came in.

Good.

Hey, look at this!

The 7th regiment has made

the front page...

...of the New York Herald".

Listen to this.

"Lmpeachment proceedings

have been taken by Congress...

...against Secretary of War

Belinknapp...

...because of General Custer's

testimony.

Belinknapp has already

tendered his resignation".

Can you imagine that?

The Secretary of War?

Listen to this, sir.

"Orville Grant, brother of

President Ulysses S. Grant...

...was accused

by General Custer...

...of accepting

a $1,000 bribe.

- Where?

- Here.

Brother's President.

Custer really knows to hit 'em

where it hurts, don't he?

Obvious.

I wonder what happens

to the General now?

I'll tell you what happens

to Custer.

The big brass won't kick him out

of the Army.

He's too popular for that now.

They got their own way

of handling this guy.

You know what they'll do?

They'll probably send him off

to Europe to count...

...the horses in the Russian

Army. Or just leave him...

...on suspension indefinitely

without pay...

...until he rots.

He'll just sit around,

knock on doors...

...write letters,

eat his heart out...

...and finally he'll wind up

in some hotel lobby...

...talking to strangers...

...telling them what a big man

he used to be.

And it will serve him right.

Cold enough?

- Did you go for a walk?

- No.

I got as far as the lobby.

Better there he started

explaining to me...

...about the Battle

of Gettysburg...

...so I explained to him

about the Battle of Gettysburg.

Was there any mail?

- Yes, there was a letter.

- War Department?

No, from Father.

- Did you see Sheridan?

- No.

No, well he left me word...

...he'd see me this week

for sure.

He doesn't want to see you,

Artie.

What did your father write?

He wants to have a big family

for Christmas.

Why don't you go home

for Christmas?

It would do you good

to get out of Washington.

No without you.

Things are liable to happen

here, I've got to be in town.

- Let's go to Michigan.

- No, I've got to stay here.

The Army needs men like me.

Sooner or later

they'll find that out.

Well, General, you've seen

our firepower.

Now just take a look

as the armor plate.

It's two inches thick,

it'll stop anything.

Why'd you bring me here?

You want your command back,

don't you?

- What's this got to do with it?

- Everything.

Tell the gentlemen sponsoring

at the War Department.

Why'd he come to you, why didn't

he come directly to me?

Any questions, General,

any suggestions?

- And the place for the horses?

- There won't be any.

The cavalry's a thing

of the past.

The object of war is to beat

the enemy, isn't it?

- And it doesn't matter how.

- All right, sir.

Thank you

for the demonstration.

Artie, please

take another look at it.

- What for?

- All right, I'll tell you.

It was Sheridan's idea.

He came to me and said...

..."Have George

sponsor the train.

He'll get the credit for it...

...and that will give me

an excuse to bring him back".

But, it's useless.

The War Department

will never accept it.

They already have. The contracts

are ready to be signed.

What do you need me for, then?

Sheridan's suggestion,

we're just trying to cooperate.

How about it?

War isn't just killing,

you know.

It's a contest,

it's a man against a man.

That's a machine. Personal

guides wouldn't count...

...honor, duty, loyalty...

...everything a soldier lives by

will be wiped out.

All you have left is statistics.

How many men with the

machine murdered today...

...a hundred, thousand,

ten thousand?

If this is the future,

I don't want any part of it.

Where does that leave you?

With the idiots?

Next on the program.

It's not a program, it's

an invitation from Sheridan...

...for a party.

- When?

- Tonight.

That would be a good chance

to talk to him.

Yeah.

Help!

Help!

Help!

Help!

Help!

If you want to be a soldier...

...join the 7th cavalry.

Don't you fight with

General Custer...

...learn to fight for Kentucky.

You must fight

for Oklahoma...

...and there's Maine

and Tennessee.

You must fight

for Pennsylvania.

You must fight for Missouri.

If you want to be a soldier...

...you must fight for Glory-o.

You must fight

with General Custer.

You must fight for Idaho.

You must fight

for Massachusetts...

...Michigan and Delaware.

You must fight for Indiana.

You must fight for Ohio.

If you want to be a soldier...

...join the 7th cavalry.

Don't you fight

with General Custer...

...learn to fight for Kentucky.

You must fight

for Oklahoma...

...and there's Maine

and Tennessee.

You must fight

for Pennsylvania.

You must fight for Missouri.

Libby.

Listen, I'm going to put you

in a cab.

- You're going back to the hotel.

- You're not coming with me?

No. I'll go to Sheridan's

party.

Have a whiskey,

be one of the boys.

Not tonight.

You can talk to him tomorrow.

No.

I need a drink.

Come on, run!

Whiskey!

Excuse me.

This is the best seat you got.

I'm afraid so, sir,

everything else is taken.

- Bring us a bottle of champagne.

- Certainly, sir.

Well,

when did you get here?

Six months ago, but you don't

have time to see me.

Don't tell me George Custer's

been drinking?

I've not only been drinking,

I'm drunk.

Well good, it's about time.

Come on, sit down.

Join the group.

Calm down,

this is not sarsaparilla.

I came to talk with you.

No, George,

this is a party, tomorrow.

My regiment has received orders.

There'll be another war

with the Indians, right?

I tried you to return

to their job...

...but after you talked in the

Congress, it was impossible.

The President don't want it.

Why the hell talked about

his brother Orville?

Who will be in charge

of my regiment?

I don't know!

You don't know?

You decide that kind of thing.

George, during the 9 days that

the Congress session lasted...

...I was waiting for you

to name me.

You didn't.

I appreciate that,

I won't forget it.

But I can't with the President.

I never left you in the lurch,

Phil.

During the Civil war

I led 60 charges for you, 60.

I remember all of them.

You only said...

..."Go to defeat them",

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