Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Page #54

Jeff is standing as his desk reading from the Senate Manual

in strong, positive tones.

The Senators of the previous scene are entering the Chamber.

The Vice-President walks to his chair to relieve the Pro

Tem. As the Majority Leader walks to his desk, he signals to

several men who are to be relieved. These men rise and saunter

out. Some forty men, consequently, are in motion.

JEFFERSON:

(reading)

"--We hold these truths to be self-

evident, that all men are created

equal, that they are endowed by their

Creator with certain unalienable

Rights--"

(He breaks off,

remarking the Senators

relieving each other--

dryly)

Well--looks like the night shift's

comin' on.

PRESIDENT:

The Senator will please suspend until

order is restored in the chamber.

A close view of JEFFERSON shows a slight strain after these

seven or eight hours of continuous talk. His collar is undone,

his beard has started to sprout. His eyes go back to his

book, and he continues his reading.

A BROADCASTING STUDIO appears, revealing H. V. KALTENBORN at

the microphone.

KALTENBORN:

This is H. V. Kaltenborn speaking--

half of official Washington is here

to see democracy's finest show--

Washington's uncontrolled filibuster.

The right to talk your head off...

The American privilege of free speech

in it's most dramatic form... the

least man in that chamber, once he

gets and holds the floor by the rules,

can hold it and talk as long as he

can stand on his feet--providing

always first, that he does not sit

down, second that he does not leave

the chamber or stop talking. The

galleries are packed, and in the

diplomatic gallery are the envoys of

two dictator powers. They have come

to see what they can't see at home--

democracy in action.

The floor of the SENATE is seen again.

JEFFERSON:

"--certain Unalienable Rights--that

among these are Life, Liberty and

the Pursuit of Happiness. That to

secure these rights, Governments are

instituted among Men, deriving their

just powers from the consent of the

governed, that whenever any form of

government becomes destructive of

these ends, it is the Right of the

People to alter or to abolish it,

and to institute new government,

laying its foundation on such

principles and organizing its powers

in such form, as to them shall seem

most likely to effect their Safety

and Happiness--"

(Finishing with a

flourish and putting

the book down)

Now, that's pretty swell, isn't it?

I always get a great kick outa those

parts of the Declaration--especially

when I can read 'em out loud to

somebody.

He picks up the book and starts to walk with it--stretching

his legs to get the stiffness out.

JEFFERSON:

(waving the book)

You see, that's what I had in mind

about camp--except those men said it

a little better than I can. Now,

you're not gonna have a country that

makes these kinds of rules *work*,

if you haven't got men who've learned

to tell human rights from a punch in

the nose. And funny thing about men--

they start life being boys. That's

why it seemed like a pretty good

idea to take kids out of crowded

cities and stuffy basements for a

few months a year--and build their

bodies and minds for a man-sized

job. Those boys'll be sitting at

these desks some day. Yes--it seemed

a pretty good idea--boys coming

together--all nationalities and ways

of living--finding out what makes

different people tick the way they

do. 'Cause I wouldn't give you a red

cent for *all* your fine rules,

without there was some plain every-

day, common kindness under 'em--and

a little looking-out for the next

fella. Yes--pretty important, all

that. Just happens to be blood and

bone and sinew of this democracy

that some great man handed down to

the human race--! That's all! But,

of course, if you need to build a

dam where a camp like that ought to

be--to make some graft and pay off

your political army or something--

why, that's different!

(Suddenly--with

strength)

No sir! If anybody here thinks I'm

going back to those boys and say to

'em:
"Forget it, fellas. Everything

I've told you about the land you

live in is a lotta hooey. It isn't

your country--it belongs to the James

Taylors--!" No, sir, anybody that

thinks that has got another think

coming!

(He breaks off, and

starts a different

tune, apologetically)

I--I'm sorry to be coming back to

that and--I'm sorry I have to stand

here--it's pretty disrespectful to

this honorable body. When I think--

this was where Clay and Calhoun and

Webster spoke--Webster stood right

here by this desk--why, in the first

place--an' I hate to go on trying

your patience like this--but--well,

I'm either dead right or I'm *crazy*!

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