Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Page #51

PRESIDENT:

(to the Secretary of

the Minority)

Ring the call to quorum.

The quorum bell is sounded. Jeff remains standing.

JEFFERSON:

No hurry, sir--I've got plenty of

time--

The quorum bell sounds again.

The scene dissolves to the SENATE PRESS ROOM, as SAUNDERS

tears up to Diz and grabs him. (In the background, is an

unholy chatter of typewriters and the jabber of men

telephoning their stories to the papers, with snatches heard

like:
"--sensational story of graft--"; "--hang on all winter--

won't let bill pass till Taylor machine is blasted--.")

SAUNDERS:

The war's on!

DIZ:

He's a house-afire!

SAUNDERS:

Diz--get what he says to the people

back in that State. It's up to you

and the boys. Keep those wires hot.

Fire away, pal!

And impulsively she kisses him a smack on the cheek and runs

off. Diz looks after her in a foolish daze. The background

of boys phoning their stories in, rises to a pitch--as we

dissolve to newspaper headlines, and then again to HOPPER'S

EXECUTIVE OFFICE, with Happy Hopper at his desk, on the phone,

as three of his boys come charging in, waving newspapers.

HUBERT:

(into phone)

Amazing! Fantastic!

THE BOYS:

Pop!

Jeff's after 'em!

Filibuster!

HUBERT:

(to boys)

Silence!

JIMMIE:

When Jeff gets through with Taylor,

Pop--

HUBERT:

(into the phone; by

mistake)

When Jeff gets through with Taylor--

(Breaking off, turning

viciously on boys)

Quiet! What do you mean by breaking

in here--? Get out! Get *out* of

here!

He has risen and is driving the boys out.

At the PET SHOP, REAR OF SMITH HOME, Ma is mixing pet food

at the center table--surrounded by boys waving papers

excitedly. The pets are in an uproar.

BOYS:

Whee!

Ma, Jeff's tellin' 'em, Ma!

Jeff's gonna talk till doomsday--!

He's fightin' 'em, Ma--Jeff won't

quit!

MA:

(calmly going about

her business)

Well, well. Kinda *thought* Jeff

wouldn't be comin' home so soon.

VOICES:

Comin' home--!

Look, Ma--look!

Read it!

The scene dissolves to TAYLOR'S HOTEL SUITE, with Taylor,

Paine, Cook, Griffith and three Congressmen under great

nervous strain. Desks have been moved into the suite,

telephones are teletype are being installed.

TAYLOR:

(yelling)

Where's that Jackson City long

distance?

COOK:

(placatingly)

Wait now--Hendricks stepped out--

TAYLOR:

(furiously)

Why isn't an editor at his desk where

he belongs?

PAINE:

Jim--the boy's talking to that State--

the story is out--!

TAYLOR:

(viciously)

Sure! The fight's in the open now--

to a finish--!

PAINE:

And if he can raise public opinion

against us--if any *part* of this

sticks--

TAYLOR:

He won't get started! I'll *make*

public opinion out there in five

hours. I've done it all my life!

I'll blacken this punk until--

(Breaking off)

Joe--your job is back in the Senate--

keep those men fighting him *there*.

PAINE:

I hit him from the floor with

everything I knew!

TAYLOR:

Keep doing it! This is the whole

works, Joe--we're out of business of

bigger than we then we ever were. We

can't miss a trick--we can't stop at

*anything*--till this yokel's smashed

up and buried so deep he'll never--!

The phone rings, and Griffith picks it up.

GRIFFITH:

(into phone)

Yes--*yes*!

(To Taylor)

Jackson City--Hendricks!

TAYLOR:

Joe! Will you go back to that Senate!

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