This is Your FBI: War Fraud - Andrew Rockland, War Profiteer

This is your FBI. This is your FBI, an official broadcast from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, presented as a public service by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. To your FBI, you look for national security, and to the Equitable Society for financial security.

These two great institutions are dedicated to the protection of you, your home, and your country. The story of a crime against our fighting men. War fraud. In every war there are two battlefields. One where guns are fired and one where guns are made.

We have been victorious on this second battlefield. We have been winning in our factories, our plants, and all our arsenals of supply. But there have been a few men who have fought the war of supply, not for us, but for the enemy.

Because to these men war has meant only one thing. A chance to make money. They have been caught. Sooner or later these men are caught by the FBI. Because the workers and their plants are also working for this country.

In one case, a war property was caught because of a worker who was only a cleaning woman. A middle-aged woman who swept the floors in a plant which manufactured hand grenades for the government. Hey! Hold on there!

What? Well, were you dumping it, sir? In the trash barrel. Oh, that doesn't go in the trash barrel. But it's just the sweepers from the floor. I know, but... It's trash. Trash goes in the trash barrel.

Eh, but your name? Anna Waco. But yours. Rockland. Oh, I'm sorry. Ha, that's all right, Mrs. Waco. How long have you been working here? three months. Surely you know by now that any briefings with powder in them go in that box over there. But this powder isn't good for anything Mr. Rufflin. It's all mixed with dirt and shape.

This is Waco. This is my plan. I'm manufacturing hand grenades for our government. One of the duties to anyone working for the government is to conserve material. But this powder will you let us worry about it. We have ways of sifting the powder from the dirt. We must conserve. Well I've got two sons

over there and I'd hate for them to get a hand grenade with powder like... Don't just wait till any sweepings from the floor which have powder in them are to be dumped in that box.

Yes. After all, there's a war on you know. The war that is being fought on the second battlefield, the war fought in the factory is a vitally important one. An industry in labor have been fighting in triumphant.

Soon after Pearl Harbor however the Attorney General of this country realized that there would be a few dollar patriots. the plot the record, the greedy few who would try to make huge profits at the expense of the government, and so a war frauds unit of the Department of Justice was created, and to the FBI went the job of cracking down the criminals involved.

That's why when Mrs. Anna Waco became suspicious of the Rockland powder company she went to the offices of the FBI. Maybe he has got a way of getting the dirt out of the powder but there are other funny things too.

Like what Mrs. Wake, though? Well, I... Don't be afraid, please. Anything you say is just between us. The FBI will never do anything to endanger your position. Oh, I'm not afraid, Mr. Daly. Not for myself, anyway.

Who there? My daughter-in-law. She works in the plant. On the assembly line. Putting in the powder charges. But they don't care how much powder goes in. Who doesn't care? Mr. Rockland, or one of his sons?

How many sons does he have? Four. They're all nasty boys. None of them's roosts foreman, and he just keeps saying, hurry up, speed it up. He doesn't care if the grenades are any good. He just cares if they get out a lot of them.

This is way true. You must know the government has inspectors checking those grenades before they leave the plan. Sure, I know. Well, if the grenades don't come up to specifications, they're not any good. Those inspectors are going to reject them.

I know. What happens to them after the inspectors turn them down? them down. What do you mean? Mr. Daly. Those Rocklands are just out to make all the money they can. They wouldn't be in such a hurry to turn out bad grenades unless they had some way of using them.

Well, what way? I don't know, sir. But they're always talking and talking about conserving material. Well, good or bad material. I bet they've got some way of getting those rejected grenades out of What was that plant?

Special agents were sent out to check the Rockland powder company to delve into the past of Andrew Rockland and his four sons to interview the government inspectors who examined the hand grenades made at the Rockland plant.

From the inspectors FBI agents found that each day a large number of grenades did not come up to government specifications and had to be rejected. These foley grenades were supposed to be sent back and fixed, but whether they were or not the inspectors didn't know they had no way of knowing but the fb i had a way of finding out

the inspectors were asked to mark a small red x on each rejected grenade and then after a few days a case of hand grenades made the by the rockland company was given microscopic examination all the old moon alone mister daley what's new you mean if we heard anything from your hand grenades yet the answers yes fine

Not so fine. What do you mean? How much do you know about specifications for hand grenades, Mr. Delly? I've learned a lot in the last few days. Well, it seems that each of these grenades is supposed to have four individual powder charges.

Otherwise it won't go off correctly. And I try. Now here. Look at a cross-section drawing of this one grenade. All right. You see? Yes. That's only got one charge. If a soldier tried to use that grenade to save his life...

No. No. We've earned 22 like this one, Mr. Daley. How many were examined altogether? 136. I'm here. 54 with only two charges. 37 with only three charges. Now to the whole lot, exactly 25 that met with specifications.

Wow. That's not all. Not all. No. To be really efficient, the powder charges have to be compressed into the grenade, under a pressure of from 5 to 6,000 pounds. That means using a machine press.

Yes. Some of these were made with a hand press. You know something, but the powder in every one of these grenades made with a hand press is full of dirt and shavings. Which is if the powder had been swept up from the floor.

Yes. Bill, let me see one of those grenades. Hmm. Yeah. What are you looking for? A little red X. Oh, you won't find any on those, Mr. David. What? The foley ones made with a machine press, they all have the red X on them.

The others, the ones with the dirty powder and made with the hand press, they don't have any mark on them at all. Special agent of the FBI can get into a war plant by showing his credentials.

Entrance, however, is not assurance that he'll be able to see what he's looking for. And he'll be able to see how foley grenades are packed and shipped out anyway. How other foley grenades can be made with hand presses and dirty powder.

It can be packed and shipped without ever being inspected, without ever being seen. The special agent who visited the Rockland Powder Company had no trouble getting in. He showed his credentials, he waited a few minutes, and then a young man appeared.

Mr. Daly? Yes? I'm Fred Rockland. Oh, how do you do? Higher. My father's waiting inside for you. Oh, that's fine. Just a few steps down this hall. What's that? Oh, just testing the burglar alarm, I guess.

Oh, this way. Thanks. Oh, Dad. Yes? They'll take care of you, Mr. Rockland. Thanks. So long. So long. Hello, Mr. Rockland. How do you do, does it? You're from the FBI? That's right. Well, glad to be of any help I can to a representative of our government.

That's nice of you. Anything in particular that you want to see, Mr. Daly? No. No, I don't believe so. Just want a general look around, huh? Yes. Well, this building you're in now is just one of the places where we assemble the grenades.

How many buildings do you have in all, Mr. Rockland? We have five. Do you want to go through all of them? If it's not too much trouble. Oh, no, travel at all. Glad to do it.

It's nicer. I, uh, I just wondered if there was anything particular you were looking for. No? No, nothing. I realize you boys have to be a little close-mouthed about your business. Just a routine look around, Mr. Rockland.

I see. Well, if you were... Are those people over there government inspectors? Yes. That's a pretty routine job in our plant. I am glad to say. This way, Mr. Daily. My building's made up the Rockland Powder Company.

The owner himself took the special agent of the FBI on the tour of all five. of all five. The agent could not have seen or here now find anything to indicate that Andrew Rockland was deliberately trying to perpetrate a war fraud against the government of the United States. On the surface everything was in order.

Everything was up to standard. Except that every time the agent approached a new building an alarm bell rang. I suppose this is the last building? Yes! You've seen them all now. Well I must say it seems to be a fine place. Thank you. We think it is. We're well, we're all pretty proud of our little contribution to the war. I'm sure

you are. Tell me something. If one or two of the grenades happen to be faulty, what happens to them? Oh, they're set aside and remade. I see. I notice that you have special boxes set aside for the rejects. That's really, we don't want them to get mixed up with the others.

That's really, we can get out this way. Thanks. After you, sir. Yep. Very nice of you to show me around, Mr. Auckland. Oh, not at all. I'm always glad to be of service to my government or any...

What's the matter? Didn't you say you had five buildings? Yes. Well, isn't that small one over there? Oh, that one isn't used. I see. That's where I originally started my plan. But it's too old to be good for anything now.

You suppose I could see it? Certainly. Some other time. For as long as I'm here now, I'm afraid not, Mr. Davy. I do have a business to run, you know. I can't spare any more time.

Well, perhaps someone else could take a job. I don't think so. We all work very hard here. There's a war on, you know. Yes. Of course, I couldn't go through it myself. No. No, I think you'd have a little difficulty in doing that.

The day said. We momentarily close the Federal Bureau of Investigation file on war frauds. We'll return to this case in just a moment. At the end of tonight's broadcast, let's suppose that you open your evening paper and turn to the stock market quotations.

The name Equitable is fresh in your mind, so you decide to find out what the Equitable Stock is selling for. You look under the E's, but the name Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States is not there.

Why? Well, it's not there for a very good reason. There is no such thing as equitable stock. You can't buy it because it doesn't exist. This society is owned entirely by its policy holders, not by stockholders. And therefore, in the very truest sense of the word, the equitable is a society, in which all the funds are put to work for the benefit of all the members.

Furthermore, the dollars entrusted to the society are employed in ways that benefit the entire nation. They're invested in war bonds and American industry. They promote the business of farming, and they encourage home ownership. By serving its members, the Equitable serves America.

And now, back to the file on Andrew Rockland, War Prof. Tyr. Agents of the FBI don't force their way into private property. Neither into a house nor into a building or even into a war plant where they are fairly certain criminals are working and working overtime.

In the Rockland case, special agents attempted to get into the plant by working there as employees. The plant, however, suddenly announced that even though it was speeding up production, it was not hiring any more workers.

That was also an announcement that Andrew Rockland was on guard. The FBI had no actual proof, no conclusive evidence that Rockland and his four sons were deliberately defrauding the government. They needed proof and they knew it must be within that plan.

They knew that somehow they had to get into that single unused building. But how? Silly? Howdy, Berkeley. Oh, howdy, Dusan. Well, the boys over the American Legion said you wanted to see me tonight. Yes, have a chair.

Thanks. I was glad to sit after all the walking I'd do in the- Mr. Berkeley, I wanted to see you because, frankly, we need your help. You need my help? The FBI needs my help? Yes.

Will I tell my wife? We'd rather you didn't say anything to anybody. Oh sure, sure, but why me? We want to get into the Rockland powder plant. Oh. We need an employee to help us.

Someone who's patriotic and can be trusted to keep quiet. We checked with the Legion and got your name. Did you check on me? We're satisfied. Well, name it. I can do it, no questions asked.

Thanks. You're the safety engineer at the planet. It's my title. Just what do you do? Oh, pretty much what I think has to be done to keep the plants safe. You can get into all parts of it at any time.

Sure. You get me in? Without anyone knowing who you are? Yes. Sure. About the guards at the gate. Well, if you wear old working clothes, I can take in with me. Oh. Well, I'm allowed to take on an extra man if I think I need one for special precautions.

Mr. Berkeley. Yeah? What too much snow on the roofs of the plant buildings be considered a reason for special precautions? Why sure, it gets too heavy that might be damaged. Why? I was thinking. You might say you needed me to help shovel snow from the roofs.

There's a lot of it now. Well, I could figure out an easier way. Let's work for you. I'd rather do it that way. I'd like to shovel snow off the roof of that unused old building.

Oh. You see, I want to get into that building. And I think the roof's probably the best way. At 11.30 the next morning, Harvey Berkeley, and a rather dirty-looking helper climbed a ladder to the snow-covered roof of the old unused building in the grounds of the Rockland Powder Company.

The guards saw them, watched them shovel snow for a few minutes, and then forgot about them. about them. At known Harvey Berkeley and his help a quick for lunch and left the roof of the building. Not by the latter however but by a trapdoor that took them inside. Sure as dirty in here. Yeah this is just an old law for the daily. Hasn't

been used for years far as I know. No. Around but cobwebs. What's downstairs? You'll guess as good as mine. Let's take a look. I don't know how we're gonna get down there. Doors all boarded up.

Oh, I don't want to get down there. What? I just want to be able to see down there. Got your hammer? Yeah. And what are you going to do? Climb up those boards? Yes, very loose enough.

I don't know what you're up to, Mr. Daly, but you sure seem to pick the hardware, do you? Oh, no, this isn't... Get a good view of the place, all right? What are all those crates?

No, I don't know. But the rock ones have sort of used this as a general junk storehouse ever since the new buildings were put up. You see that machinery right below us? Yes. Well they're the old hand presses they used to use in the beginning. They're no good now so they just storm here.

I don't think they're just stored. What do you mean? Take a good look around this loft. Then look down there. Okay. See any difference? Well it looks cleaner down there. A lot cleaner. No cobwebs, no dust, no boards over the door.

That's not a storehouse down there, Berkeley. That's a little factory. Who uses it? I don't know, but I'm gonna wait here till I find out. What happens when you do? Wait and see. Special Agent Daley sat quietly and alone in the dusty loft of the unused building.

For almost ten hours he waited. For almost ten hours he crouched by the loose and floorboards, waiting for someone to enter the room below waiting to see if his suspicions were right waiting for proof that men worked in that room below to defraud the government of the United that you Berkeley see you come up but I had to wait till the gods got out of the way yeah

yeah what's in it man rotten they got in that big box I haven't ever seen it before looks That's the box they use for power sweepers from the floor. What's the devil in the floor?

Look, making grenades with that lousy power on the old hand-praces. Why those? They're the great they're bringing in now. Look like grenades from here. What floor? Those are the rejected grenades, Berkeley. We have that box you picked up for me.

Yeah. Thank you. What are they going to do with rejected grenades? Is that a camera you thought? Yes. 16 millimeter movie camera. You're not going to take it. Yes, I'm going to photograph Mr. Rockland and his four sons at work cheating the government.

I picked his up down there. I'm glad the hand press is right underneath. Mr. Andrew Rockland working on him and giving me a nut. Turn it off, you'll know who's coming from up here. We've got to leave it on, take a chance.

Are you a fake? Daily, they're... The son probably told the old man he was hearing things. That's a break. That sure is.

Now we're really in business. Say, these are pretty darn fine pictures, Daily. Thanks. There's a shot coming up. There. Two of the patriotic Rockland family packing rejected hand grenades for shipment. Look at the old man telling him to work fast.

Oh, he cracks a whip over them. How long do they keep it up? It's three in the morning. My film ran out before then. No, that doesn't matter. You've got enough proof here for any jury.

That's all. That's plenty. Those rockwimps are a fine bunch of loyal citizens, aren't they? What gets me is that a few men like that can hurt the reputations of other patriotic businessmen. Yeah, just as one strike gives all labor a black guy.

They've both been doing an A-1 job in this war. Well, I'll leave the film with you. Where are you going? Wind up the case? I've got orders to pick up Mr. Andrew Rockland personally. Like many criminals, Andrew Rockland posed as an ardent patriot.

And part of that bogus patriotism was not driving a car to work even though he could afford one. In the evenings, Andrew Rockland drove a car to parties and to the movies. But during the day when he was a loyal, hard-working businessman, he took the interurban train from his house to his factory and from his factory to his house.

At 5.35 one afternoon, Andrew Rockland stood on the interurban railway station platform, waiting as usual. The train that would take him home after his days work at ended And before his nights work began Freddy I thought I told you to say about you. What's the matter?

I was afraid you'd say what's got into you dad there after us who the FBI What they're at the plant now home nonsense. They can't get in if I let they don't want to get in I'm trying to tell you dad. They don't have to get in ready. Will you make some sense?

They've got words for all of us. They've arrested Pete and Tom and John down calm down I ducked out the back. Now, looking for you, too. Well, let them find me. Dad, don't you understand?

Yes, yes, I understand. But so what? There isn't anything they can prove? Not one single, solitary thing. And until they get in the old building. They've been in the old building. What do you mean?

Last night, one of them was up in the loft watching us while we worked. Oh, let him try to prove it. But he wasn't alone. I don't care how many were you listening. He had a camera with him.

A movie camera. They've got pictures of us working. Pictures of us working. Freddy. It's true. I heard them telly Pete. Camera. Yeah. Yeah, movie camera. Dad, what are we gonna do? Can we go then?

They've gotta stand to write. There are two battle fields. One where guns are fired, one where guns are made.

We have been victorious in this second battle front. Industry and labor have been winning the battle in our factories and in our plans. There have been a few men, a few greedy men, Few criminal men who have cried to defraud the government in order to make enormous profits.

These men have been caught by the FBI. And if there are any others, they too will be caught by the FBI. Because none of them can run a factory single-handed. They need to have people working for them and with them.

People who know that working in a factory today is fighting a war. People who are fighting the war, not because they want to make money. But because they want to win a new world for themselves and all those who will come after them.

You'll hear about the file on next week's case in just a moment. The members of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, along with their fellow citizens, have been filled with conflicting emotions.

We're tempted to rejoice because complete success has at last crowned our military efforts in Europe, But our deep satisfaction in this victory is tempered when we remember the gold stars and the windows of so many American homes.

When we remember the boys who still face death in the far Pacific. We honor the fighting men whose courage and steadfastness have made possible one of the greatest military achievements in American history. What our hearts go out to the parents of those American boys who will not return to the homes, they died to defend.

So we believe that this is a time for prayer. It's a time to stay on the job, to resolve that we will not relax our efforts until final victory in the Pacific is ours. To that ardently desired end, the equitable society, speaking for its management, its employees, and its 3,200,000 members, pledges its unswerving and untiring support.

Next week, a crime against society, grand larceny, used in tonight's broadcast or taken from the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. However, all names used are fictitious. Any similarity thereof to the names of persons living or dead is accidental.

In tonight's case, Andrew Rockland was played by Jack McBride. The music was composed and directed by Van Cleve. The author was Lawrence McArthur, and your narrator was Frank Lovejoy. This is your FBI is a Jerry Divine production.

Now this is Carl Frank speaking for the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, and inviting you to tune in again next week at the same time for this is your FBI. This is the Blue Network of the American Broadcasting Company.