All language subtitles for Lou Grant s04e10 Boomerang

Hello, I'm calling from the crib. I'd
like to be from a... How much money was

involved? Was it over $1 ,000?

Was it over $10 ,000?

There.

Probably the EMI and the amount of
combustibles.

Connect the monitors.

Start the vacuum cleaner.

Donovan, somebody's come up.

I know.

Hedley Franklin.

Here's his file.

No secrets in a newsroom.

When's the last time he updated his
obituary?

Two years ago.

Only next to Ken are two ex -wives, no
known addresses.

When you think of the stories he
covered, and the things he knew, and the

he affected,

it doesn't boil down to much, does it?

See if someone can find out what
happened down there.

Rossi's already working on it.

Rossi? Said he'd been studying Spanish
for two years.

And how come he had trouble ordering a
taco?

No, no, no, no. Un momento.

Un momento.

Cuando se fijó usted que... Died, what's
died?

Murió.

Se murió en el hospital.

Hold it. Slower.

They say he died at the hospital.

Or he was dead when he got to the
hospital.

Which is it? I'm not sure. I have
trouble with past participles.

Let me try, Ross.

Diplomacy goes a long way in that part
of the world. I can do it.

Quiero hablar con el doctor.

Y con el que manda.

Oh.

Excuse me.

Bueno.

¿Con qué hablo?

Ah, sí, doctor.

¿Me puede decir usted lo que sucedió?

Sí. What is it?

They thought it was fine. They went back
to check and Franklin was dead.

He was left alone?

Dígame, doctor, ¿por qué lo dejaron
solo, sin cuidado?

¿Pero cómo que no fue culpa suya?
¿Entonces de quién fue?

The diplomat. He says Franklin shouldn't
have died.

Then why did he?

¿Cómo que fue accidente?

Oh, one of the respirators. The
respirator broke down.

It was one of our respirators.

We don't have any respirators.

Made in America.

Oxylon Laboratories.

Ask him when they bought the machine. I
can't. Go in that. Hung up.

What have we learned about Oxylon
Laboratories?

They're based in L .A. We've got people
working on it. Our lawyers will

investigate the possibility of a
wrongful death lawsuit.

If anything, the fact that Mr. Franklin
has no known relatives I think heightens

our responsibility to him. Yeah, well,
you'll have information just as soon as

we do.

Well, I hope it's sooner rather than
later.

Do we have anyone on our staff who would
be a good replacement for Mr. Franklin?

I mean temporarily.

They're already jockeying for his job.
Rossi, for one.

Figures. Aunt Castillo, there'll be
more.

I lean toward Castillo. Oh, yes. Fluency
in Spanish is a must.

In Rossi's defense, he has been taking
lessons.

How's he doing?

Well, so far he can say, is this a train
to Caracas? And there's a mistake in my

hotel bill.

Well, who would need more than that?

You know, it's possible that we may have
to go outside for a correspondent.

Of course, you realize that I would
prefer to promote from within.

Oh, yeah.

We'll work on it.

Thank you, gentlemen.

got something. I have news.

You may recall discussing a plan to have
guest columnists work at the Tribune.

Yeah. Great idea. Get a fresh
perspective of L .A. I thought the

handle it. It can't.

But we have done some creative
bookkeeping.

Oh, yeah?

Sidney Kovac will arrive tonight and
start work first thing tomorrow.

Sidney Kovac?

We started in newspapers together.

His last book got a six -figure advance.
He must have cost a fortune.

He did.

But he said the only reason he would
come was for the chance to work with you

again, Mr. Grant.

I'll bet.

That's terrific, Lou. I had no idea you
and Kovac were tight.

Well, neither one of us tend to brag
about it.

I'll call when he arrives. I imagine
you'll want to have a little get

or something.

Something troubling you, Lou?

Well, I guess I'm sort of happy and
depressed at the same time.

I'm happy because Kovac is a buddy from
way back. It's nice to see an old pal do

well. Well, then why are you depressed?

Because I can't stand to see an old pal
do that well.

This led to our line of test equipment.

Enabling Upsilon Laboratories to grow
from the small mom -and -pop

to the multinational industry you see
today.

Are mom and pop still around?

Pop is.

Mom divorced him, but keeps in close
touch with the company.

Through her lawyer.

Though I don't think that's part of your
story.

No. What I'm interested in today is the
area of research and development.

Ask away.

I imagine that you've had your share of
disappointments in that area. Well,

every company does.

Such as the Model 4 portable respirator,
for example.

That has had its problems. What kind of
problems?

Well, nothing we felt we couldn't fix,
but it was forced off the market before

we had a chance.

At a considerable cost.

Millions. R &D. Years of testing.

Millions.

Don't ask.

We had to recall every unit in the
United States.

Something wrong?

I saw a report that said that that
respirator is still in use overseas.

They were said to be unreliable.

Well, if they're unreliable, chances are
that they're worn out or they weren't

serviced properly.

But all that's in the past.

Here's an item you can have exclusive.

It's a real breakthrough in the
monitoring of vital signs. In two years,

every paramedic in the country is using
it.

Hey, look, come on over here. defend
yourself. He's been telling stories

you. About what? About the good old
days.

The good old days were terrible. You
were saying something about Lou and a

police car? Oh, yeah, the police car.
Lou is out in the middle of nowhere and

he's on a triple murder. He looks around
and his cab is gone. Right on deadline

with no way back.

And... There's this shiny new cop car.

See? Sidney, Sidney. Next thing you
know, Lou is racing into town. The siren

screaming. The gumball is flashing.

Oh, it was grand.

What happened?

He made deadline with ten minutes to
spare.

I love it.

What happened to Lou?

I spent the weekend in jail because the
guy I made my one phone call to wouldn't

bail me out.

He was too busy hustling my girl.

Consoling, Lou. Not hustling.

Consoling. You married her. You stabbed
me in the back.

We got a divorce. I did you a favor.

Hey, silly animal. I want you to meet
Sidney Kovac.

Billy Newman.

Dennis Price.

I took your picture here last year when
you were on your book tour.

I remember that shot. I looked like I
was up on a morals chart.

Where are you two being?

Oh, on the respirator story.

And he needed a lift.

My mother was in town. I loaned her my
car.

You let your own mother drive that old
thing?

Sure, I trust her.

What did you find out about the
respirator? Well, there's supposed to be

national recall.

And there might be some units still left
in use, but they haven't manufactured

any for three years.

I told you about Hedley Franklin dying.

He might have made it if the respirator
hadn't broken down.

Lou, this doesn't add up.

I talked to that doctor again. He said
they had just bought the unit. New.

Someone's not telling the truth.

You know what I think this is?

Nothing.

Dumping? Yeah, we are dumping our
defective products on the rest of the

Oh, yes, of course. Something crossed my
depth the other day about that.

Like that thing with the fire retardant
pajamas. The federal government banned

them. Said the retardant was a known
carcinogen.

And presto, the American public is saved
and millions of foreign kids are

wearing cancer -causing but fireproof
pajamas.

I think the defective respirator might
be the same story.

You know, we've got to be careful here.

I mean, we've only been talking about
exports that are known to be harmful. We

don't want to do a hatchet job on
American trade.

I think it's worth pursuing.

I'd like to help if I can.

I have contacts all over the world. I'll
bet you do.

So do we.

Well, I just thought I'd save you a lot
of time.

Anyway, that's what I'm here for, isn't
it? Do you know anybody in Central

America? I have a number of contacts
there, but I wouldn't want to step on

toes.

Oh, my.

Let's pull a string and see what it
unravels.

Great. I think it's a hell of a story,
Lou, and one that needs to be told. Like

my series on military graph.

This is going to be fun.

It's great being on the same team again,
Lou.

Yeah.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here
on A &E.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm Leary about
the cost of the kind of international

investigation you gentlemen are talking
about. It'll put the Trib on the map.

Sidney, the Tribune is on the map
already.

You had no trouble finding it, did you?

Okay, so we're not the New York Times.

We do have our own resources, so let's
use them.

They don't have to go outside.

Can you be more specific, Mr. Grant?

Well, we all have our connections, if
you think about it. Right up to cabinet

level in some cases.

Charlie's covered Latin America for
about five years, I think.

Hmm?

Frank's been about everywhere.

Twice.

And Adam?

I know a lot of guys in big
multinationals. I'll give it a go. All

I know a nurse in Norway. Will that
help?

We get your point, Lou. Among the people
at the Tribune, we must have 100

overseas contacts.

I have 98 alone.

Oh.

First name?

Is it yesterday or tomorrow? Always get
that screwed up.

Hold on a second. Are you going to be
home tonight?

If I can make it through this day, I'll
be home with my feet. All right.

Well, I want to talk to you about the
time you spent in Africa. I just want to

pick your brain.

You can have what's left of it. Well, I
don't like angels. Yeah.

Where's that story on rezoning of high
-rises in the valley? Well, he said

have it by tonight. Tonight? Meeting
ended three hours ago.

Billy!

What's up, Charlie?

Telephone stock judging from these phone
charges.

We should change the slogan next to our
logo.

Instead of a free society needs a free
press, it should be reach out and touch

someone.

Everyone's got leads on this dumping
story.

Lou, Rossi has been on the phone to
Sydney, Australia for half an hour.

And the operator said that somebody
called Karachi. Do you have to go as far

Karachi to get the story? I mean, they
must be dumping someplace closer to

We've got to follow the leads wherever
they take them, Charlie.

I think it was Mrs. Pinchon who called
Karachi. Called me to get the area code.

Karachi has an area code?

Son, what time is it in Rome? Rome?

You were talking to Sydney, Australia.

Yeah, but the guy gave me a lead in
Rome. You see each other?

It's the same as Berlin, 11 o 'clock.
Yeah, I know that, but is it a .m. or p

.m.? P .m. Thanks. We're going to have a
phone bill like we had when my daughter

lived at home.

It's beautiful.

You ever notice how much this primitive
African art looks like stuff we used to

call modern?

Some of those native villages were like
museums.

Looks like you're ready to go back.

Too many other places to take.

When I save enough, I'm going to China.

Well, there's a good layout artist.

Scissors and paste.

Scissors and paste.

16 years of school and look at me.

Uh, you said something about work with
pesticides?

Yeah, I did, didn't I?

Okay.

Now, where I was in the Peace Corps,
they had huge supplies of some stuff

balamine.

Balamine.

You know what makes it?

No, but it shouldn't be too tough to
track down.

It does a hell of a job against flying
bugs.

It should.

You should see what it does to people.

It's a lethal contact poison.

And this stuff is just handed out?

Yeah, to anyone who asked.

I saw families use empty balamine
buckets to haul drinking water.

About a dozen people died from the stuff
that year. I guess they got in the food

chain. Who knows? People could still be
dying from it. Didn't it come with

warnings on the labels?

Sure, but no language that natives could
read.

But their officials must have known.

Their officials often got paid a lot of
money to look the other way.

Say, why do you guys care about this? I
mean, it happened two years ago in a

dinky little village halfway around the
world.

Maybe I could get people to care.

Yeah, I used to think that.

I found that balamine stuff that Rossi
asked me for.

It's made here in L .A. by an outfit
called Claver Chemical.

Here, I have their annual report.

Thanks.

Do you read annual reports?

Uh, not if I can ask someone to tell me
what they mean.

But, uh, what does it mean?

Sometimes I think a general assignment
reporter is one who's equally ignorant

all fields.

Yeah, but we're great at cocktail
parties.

Come on.

All right. The yearly comparison shows
that Klaber made a killing in Bailamine

until it was recalled in the United
States.

Last year they produced 100 ,000
barrels.

They had to recall everything they sold
in the United States, and that amounted

to 50 ,000 barrels.

Ah, I wonder what happened to the other
50 ,000.

Good question.

In fact, here is another interesting
little item.

Claver is building overseas plants to
meet growing demand of the third world.

Bingo?

Bingo. I'm not sure we have a story
here.

Implication, sure. A few facts, yeah.

But where's the proof?

It's in here, Lou.

Trust me. Our most promising lead is
Kleber Chemical.

Yeah, I know it's promising, but... I
agree with Billy. I think we should go

after Kleber. They're local. We should
be able to get to them. What about the

respirators from Upsilon Laboratories?

I think we've done what we can with them
for now.

Rossi, maybe you should go over to
Kleber. He knows around a little bit.

minute. Excuse me, Lou.

Billy, if I were you, I'd bone up on
pesticides, especially balamine. Find

everything you can.

Hold it.

Is this the best way into the story,
just the best way we've got?

Lou, we know what the story is and what
the outcome will be. The trick is to

nail down the research so that we can
confirm what we've suspected all along.

I think research should back up a story,
not vice versa.

It will, Lou. Don't worry.

Sidney, what about lunch? We can meet
the crowd.

Some other time, Lou. My book editor's
in town. I promised him lunch at the

Biltmore. Gotta run. I'll see you, too.

You know, Lou, I talked to two reporters
who uncovered something scams their own

papers wouldn't print.

I'm betting ours won't either.

They're going to win that bet unless we
get the story right.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here
on A &E.

Not your usual family portraits.

Oh, but they are.

We're all in the same family of man.

These are great pictures.

But how do they relate to a chemical
company?

Well, we're interested in seeing what we
can do about starvation.

When you look into the eyes of a
starving man, it makes you realize how

there is to be done.

Now, what would you like to know about
Claver Chemical?

I'll finish here.

I'll see you back at the office.

Sorry you have to leave.

Big story breaking in Westwood. A bunch
of third graders have put together the

world's longest submarine sandwich. And
my editor thinks the people of L .A.

have a right to know.

We're doing a series on companies with
successful overseas operations.

We'd be more successful with less
interference.

From? The usual sources.

Federal controls, state controls, export
controls, environmental controls.

Every industry has similar complaints,
though we feel helping to grow food is

more basic.

And all these controls give you guys a
lot of headaches?

We spend years developing a product,
say, a pesticide. Like balamine,

Right, like balamine.

To protect crops and grow more food on
less land. Then someone discovers that

kills rats and threatens pelican eggs,
and we can't use it.

And all that research is wasted?

Well, yes and no.

If we're lucky, we can export it to
countries who desperately need our

technology, but our own people can't
benefit from it.

Mr. Rossi, our pesticides are supposed
to kill rats.

And I, for one, don't give a damn about
pelican.

I care about people.

Is there always a trade -off?

Sometimes. A lot of times there has to
be.

I find the people who complain the
loudest about pesticides are generally

-fed themselves.

But there's always exploit, right?

Well, it's not as easy as it sounds.

You wouldn't believe what we have to go
through just to get our products to

people who desperately need them.

Unfortunately for them, all your plants
aren't here in this country.

That's true.

So you make stuff there that you can't
make here because of these government

regulations.

Exactly.

You know, I've heard that your company
has to route products to a second

to get it to a third.

which I can't believe because of the
cost.

Oh, yes, it certainly is costly.

But what else can we do?

This high -rise rezoning thing in the
valley is a good story.

How'd they get that through?

I thought there was a big citizen
protest.

Well, the councilman probably stayed in
bed the day they voted.

Where's Billy's update?

She hasn't turned it in yet.

What's she been doing?

Did you send Rossi on that Marina
kickback scam?

I haven't seen him, so I sent Rosenthal.

Didn't he? We've got terrific stuff.
Some guy, Claver Chemical, makes selling

poison sound noble.

Poison is right. The guy who tested
balamine for the government said it's

of the most lethal stuff they've ever
seen.

How lethal? If it were any stronger,
we'd need a special permit just to talk

about it. Great. Come on. We'll use
Lou's office.

It's no wonder balamine was banned. It
never breaks down. It just recycles

through the entire food chain.

Nice work.

Very nice.

We're almost ready.

Hi, Lou. We just borrowed your office.
Do you need it back?

No, I need my reporters back.

Billy, where's the high -rise zoning
update?

It's ready to ride. I just have to...
Good, now hide it.

How's your work? Were you in need of it?
I'm sorry, Lou. I was doing an

interview on dumping.

Okay, I'll fix it so you don't have any
assignment conflicts in the future.

Thanks, Lou. I need you to... You're
both off dumping.

You can cover it when I don't need you,
but right now we needed you.

And pass the word to Castillo and Adam.
This goes for them, too, and anyone else

you've roped into this thing.

Look, Lou, we're really close on this.
We're getting close.

Now, can't you put your personal
feelings aside for a while and let us

What do you mean, personal feelings?

You were just mad because your reporters
are responding more to me than they are

to you.

Oh, my.

Oh, come on, Lou.

Let's not let our egos get in the way of
the biggest story this paper's had all

year.

Who's talking about egos?

will continue in a moment here on A &E.

It's perfect, Rube. This is the kind of
story you like.

A guy wanders into an all -night market,
puts a ball constrictor on the counter,

and tries a hold -up.

This thing was only a foot long.

I get right on it.

Seem a little chilly in here to you?

Like a meat locker.

Nice inflation piece on people trying to
buy their first home.

Hmm? Good human interest stuff. We can
use it. Page one.

Can you trim two books out of it?

We'll do it with the city editor, Lou.
Why don't you do it?

City desk.

All right.

Okay, uh, hold a minute.

Rossi, Driscoll has a few graphs to
dictate. Line three, okay?

Peter Rossi won't talk to me.

There are positive sides to the silent
treatment.

It'll all blow over.

That's what Edward III said when he
claimed the French crown in 1337.

It led to the Hundred Years' War.

Who won?

No one.

He's trying to corner a couple of
councilmen on the rezoning.

What I like most about this business is
camaraderie.

Lou, can I see you for a moment?

How's it going?

Huh?

How's it going?

Oh, just like always.

Yeah. I, um, seen the budget.

Yeah?

Good stories in the works.

Yeah.

Uh, I don't want to tell you how to do
your job.

You're the city editor.

I'm glad someone noticed.

But don't you think that cutting back on
the dumping story was just a teensy

bit... What, Charlie?

Teensy bit what?

You know, dumb.

Our first responsibility is to cover
news.

Breaking news.

And it's for dumping.

The story was my idea originally, which
everyone has conveniently forgotten.

Is that what's eating you?

Lack of recognition?

You know better than that.

I can see how you were depressed to hear
that Kovac was coming. It's no fun

getting upstaged by your old buddy.

You got it wrong, Charlie.

I just don't like to see part of my
staff neglect their regular duties to

an iffy story.

Okay, final decision is yours But maybe
you want to rethink your position on

dumping after all it was your idea to
begin with

Yeah, I'll think about it

Oh

Hi, Mr. Pinchot. This is Mr.
Hollingsworth of the State Department.

kindly brought an African delegation
studying Western -style communications

our studio.

They might be interested in our story on
international trade.

Mr. Grant is our city editor, but he's
handling this story personally.

I'm sure it would be fascinating.

Why would a city editor cover
international trade?

Perhaps Mr. Grant is an expert, Sarah.

It's a very intriguing story.

I'll leave you to explain it, Mr. Grant.

I'll see you before you leave. Thank
you.

Rossi, come here a minute.

Yes, and you know this to be true about
the pesticide. They were banned in this

country because of the danger. We were
not informed.

According to regulations, the State
Department has to warn your governments

about such toxic exports.

And the State Department is very
conscientious in doing just that. We

informed. The people were not informed.

Absolutely.

In the West, you have so much access to
information.

But where we live, news is restricted.

See, it doesn't make either nation look
very good when products that can injure,

maim, and even kill are sold to
unsuspecting peoples for profit.

We call it dumping.

Now, that's a rather harsh term.

You see, the situation in many nations
is different than our own.

Some of these products are very helpful,
beneficial.

And to say dumping... It is a very good
term. It is accurate.

I wonder... I worked in a clinic for two
years. We may have distributed some of

these products.

What kind of products?

For birth control, IUDs.

Have you ever heard of a device called
ProShield?

No, it isn't in my research.

This is wonderful.

We thought that we would be bored with a
ceremonial tour of news service offices

and printing presses.

But now, thanks to Mr. Hollingsworth,
our trip has been far more successful

we could have ever dared hope.

ProShield was distributed in many
countries.

We had much trouble.

They were shipped unsterilized and
without adequate instruction.

They were very hard to insert properly.

And some of the women who used them had
problems.

What kind of problems?

Internal bleeding, infections.

Some needed surgery.

Some even died.

We're not the only nation exporting
goods to the third world. And often the

problem is with untrained local people.

A certain number of deaths could be
expected.

One of the women who died was my sister.

And she died in a hospital that is very
modern, even by your standards.

And her death was most unexpected.

Could you describe it, Pro Shield?

Here, I will draw it for you.

It has a very odd design.

Hi.

How'd it go?

Well, we got some terrific leads.

Great. Don't know when we'll have time
to follow up on him, though.

Yeah, I got a whole stack of assignments
to go through.

Okay, okay.

Look, Truce, I want you working on the
dumping story, but there has to be give

and take.

Work on it as long as it doesn't
interfere with the other stories.

And?

And I'll protect you from the nickel and
dime stuff.

Deal?

Quick, before he changes his mind.

I never saw your family before.

Is your husband a doctor, too?

Oh, no, he's a lawyer. You should see
the reaction we get when we're

as Mr. and Dr. Pratt.

What can I do for you?

All I need today is information.

Shoot.

What can you tell me about the
ProShield?

It's an IUD. I'm pretty keen to be very
harmful.

Oh, shoot.

Oh, I've never heard of it.

That's it? You're sure?

Is it new?

According to my information, it's been
on the market for years.

Oh, no. No, I'd have heard of it.

You don't know medical salesmen. They
need so many samples, some days this

looks like a bootleg birth control
clinic.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute. I think I've got a
drawing of it. Here.

I don't know about ProShield, but that
looks like a beta coil to me.

A what?

Beta coil.

Very big scandal. Lots of lawsuits
pending.

And to pull it off the market.

But that didn't help the women who used
them.

You want to see one?

Sure.

I have no use for the damn things.

In fact, I have no use for anything from
Opsalon Libraries.

Miss Newman, it's always a pleasure.

Is there something you forgot to ask?

I look forward to reading your story.

Something came up that I just wanted
some additional background on.

Whatever I can do.

What can you tell me about the ProShield
IUD?

Or would you be more comfortable
discussing the beta coil?

I can't discuss either without our
attorneys present.

Dee, I'm not interested in the lawsuits.

Can you tell me a little bit about the
ProShield?

ProShield is not really relevant to the
litigation.

It's the export version of beta coil.
It's never been offered for sale in this

country. Why isn't it for sale in this
country?

Why has it been taken off the market? Is
it because it's harmful?

Is that the basis of the lawsuit?

I can't comment on that.

Is it true that there have been
objections to BetaCoil because they've

distributed unsterilized?

What you must realize, Miss Newman, is
that population control is not a matter

of choice in many nations.

It's a matter of survival.

I see.

Look, we're dealing with the third
world, literally a different world.

Now, in this country, a few problems
connected with defective IUDs seem

unacceptable.

But to a desperately impoverished
nation, those occasional problems are a

price to pay when you're dealing with an
out -of -control birth rate.

When you say a small price to pay, does
that mean that women have died using the

beta coil?

I didn't say that.

But Canopy said that you're dumping
unsafe products overseas that you've

forbidden to sell in this country.

Upsilon Laboratories has never been in
the habit of dumping defective IUDs.

As you so indelicately put it, those
units were sold legitimately.

Who bought them?

The United States government.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here
on A &E.

Mr. Rossi, pleasure to see you again.
Come in, please.

Now, how can I be of service?

Well, it's a bit complicated.

Well, it can't be all that complicated.

Tell me what you need.

We'd like a list of U .S. exports to
third world nations.

We're specially interested in
pesticides, birth control pills and

and fertilizers.

Now, that would fill volumes.

We'd like to read.

We'll simplify it.

We're only interested in exported goods
that were found unsafe for use in the

United States.

This is a sensitive issue.

A negative article could severely damage
our efforts to encourage exports.

This isn't a general indictment of
exports.

We're investigating specific items here.
You're forgetting the third world

nations need our help, our technology.
They want it.

Okay, but we're not talking about
tractors here.

If we distribute unsafe products, then
the people who use them have a right to

know. Could you provide us with the list
of those products?

I don't have that information.

You don't have it or you won't give it
to us?

I don't have it.

And I'm sure it'll take time to assemble
it.

Some of these questions really deal with
national security.

I think I just heard a door shut.

And a key turn.

Look, Lou, you've seen what we have. I
think we're ready to write. We know

on safe ground.

I agree.

We can research this to death, of
course. Some people like to do that.

It's not enough.

I'm sorry, but there's something
missing. This whole area of alleged

complicity. You haven't proven that yet.

The State Department's stonewalling us.
Make them give it to you.

You need the export figures to nail down
the story. We don't know how big it

really is.

Lou, they won't cooperate.

Now, we're asking them to cut their own
throat.

I checked.

The State Department is supposed to warn
other governments about products banned

in this country.

You can get what you want from the State
Department if you file under the

Freedom of Information Act.

Oh, jeez, that'll take weeks.

Then it'll take weeks, but at least
you'll be accurate.

And if you pressure them the way you're
pressuring me, they'll give you what you

want just to get rid of you.

And to show you that I really do want
the story.

I'm taking you off everything else for
five days, but only for five days.

Then you go back on general assignment.

Whether you get the material or not.

Okay. Okay.

Well, can we talk?

Sure. My office.

What do you want to talk about?

About the way you're handling your
reporters.

Yeah? Lou, we've been friends a long
time.

I want to give you some advice.

You're wrong, Sidney.

About what?

We haven't been friends a long time.

We've known each other a long time.
There's a difference.

Let me remind you that you're here as a
guest columnist, not an editor.

Okay, let's put personal differences
aside.

What I'm worried about is we're going to
get beat on this story.

We know there are other reporters
working on dumping.

That's not what I heard. I heard the
other papers weren't interested.

You can't have it both ways.

We can't be sure about that. Let's talk
tactics.

Why don't we go with what we have, give
it our best shot, and see who gets

nervous. It worked pretty well in
Watergate.

I don't like piecemeal news.

Rushing into print, you risk scaring off
potential sources.

You know, Lou, I remember when you were
a pretty aggressive reporter.

What the hell happened to you?

I remember when you were satisfied to
report the news, not try to make it.

the hell happened to you?

Why did you come to me?

Because of your reputation.

Everyone I checked with felt that your
company was always above board.

Can you help us, Dr. Prentice?

Let's take a walk.

The facts you have seem accurate enough,
as far as they go.

But you paint a bleak picture of
American business.

It's a bleak story.

Granted.

While the numbers involved in dumping
are impressive, they represent only a

fraction of the firms who export.

But the numbers are impressive.

We just can't ignore them.

Of course not.

Tell me.

Why do you think these firms engage in
dumping?

Uh, greed, I suppose.

To an extent, I'm sure.

But most of them...

I'd say 80 % of them dump because our
government's too lax.

Because they can get away with it.

If the loopholes were straightened, if
it were against the law to export unsafe

goods, we'd eliminate most of the
problems.

Hmm.

It's just that simple, right? Just like
that?

Closing these loopholes isn't simple
when we have a 25 billion a year trade

deficit. Special interest down in
Washington will skin you alive before

reach the hill.

Let me ask you something.

Did you ever consider dumping when you
were chairman of Apprentice Industries?

We didn't do business that way.

We once developed an IUD, for example.

After years of testing, problems
appeared.

So you took it off the market?

It was never on the market because it
didn't come up to our standards.

And still, the Agency for International
Development invited us to make bids to

supply the devices to emerging nations.

But you didn't do it. Why not?

Because it would have harmed people.

That's not so unusual.

Other companies have refused to ship
advanced mechanical equipment, not

of defects, but because the nations
involved could not muster the skilled

manpower and the facilities to maintain
it.

But that's not really the company's
responsibility, sir. Ah, but it is.

I believe that any product stamped made
in USA should symbolize quality.

Dumping's not right. Makes us look bad.

I don't believe we should destroy our
relationship with any people for some

short -term dollars.

Hold it. That's good.

That's really good.

You want to see me, Charlie?

Yeah.

See this yet?

Yeah, mine always comes late.

Take a look.

Sidney Kovac has scooped us on our own
story.

What?

Apparently, he forgot to tell us that
while he was with us, he was also guest

-columning with the National Magazine.

He's as expensive as our call girl and
not quite as loyal.

Boy, oh, boy.

You have to admire his timing, though.

Our series doesn't start until Sunday.

I love this down in the third paragraph.

A tip from several Los Angeles reporters
piqued my interest.

A tip. I wonder how Billy and Ross are
going to like the way you gave them

credit.

You want to tell them?

No.

I'm getting a real joy out of that.

Woman, this stuff is so good, I can't
stand it. Did you get that State

Department memo in there? Oh, not yet,
but I got a home for it.

That's nice.

That's really nice.

Oh, hi, Charlie.

That's a good story.

Just do what I'm working on.

So you got the State Department stuff?

Under the Freedom of Information Act. I
didn't think you'd get it this fast. We

were on the phone for hours.

So is Mrs. Pinchot.

Oh? Yeah. I heard Lou mention what you
needed to her. I guess she called it a

few markers of her own.

No kidding.

This story's worth it, though.

It would be.

If it were exclusive.

What do you mean?

The nerve of that man.

Do you have any second thoughts now
about our going forward with our dumping

series? No, no, of course not. I've read
it very carefully. It's important, it's

thorough. And I would venture to say
it's totally accurate, which is

I'm not sure we can say for Mr. Kovac.

After what Mr. Castillo wrote about the
residue of pesticides on coffee beans,

I'm not going to drink that stuff
anymore.

Well, we knew that toxic pesticides were
being exported, so it was just a matter

of legwork on Castillo's part to see if
countries involved were shipping food

back to the U .S.

The boomerang effect.

By dumping our problems on someone else,
we simply poisoned ourselves.

Incidentally, I'm going to have copies
made of this to send along with our

proposed solutions to some of my friends
in Washington.

And as for Mr.

Kovac... His time with us is up. He's
leaving today.

Do you suppose he could make that before
lunch?

I don't think I'll be using this again
after the VDTs.

You can really do some swell things on
them.

Well, goodbye, Charlie.

Goodbye, Sidney.

It's been nice being here, Charlie. It's
been interesting.

Yeah, hasn't it?

What was that all about?

It may be a little sore to you.

Lou, I think you know why I wrote that
column.

I was afraid you were going to sit on
the story so long it wouldn't get out.

It's too important a story not to be
told.

You mean it's too important a story not
to be stolen, don't you, Sidney?

I just finished reading the Trib's own
series on it. The kids did a terrific

job.

By the way, if it wins any awards, any
cash awards, do you want me to put your

shirt to a little blowout for the staff?

Gee, I was going to give you an address
where to send the money.

Where would that be, Sidney?

I'm heading for Chicago on a special
assignment.

Where? Sometimes?

Yeah.

I think I'll call ahead and tell them
I'll lock up their petty cash.

Well, you were out there with three
people who wanted to see you.

What did they look like?

Two guys and a girl, about this high,
very red faces.

Hi. Hi.

Hi. Hi.

Mrs. Pinchon sends her compliments.
She'll probably call you herself later.

Thanks. Thanks.

Aren't you going home?

Later. Why? What's up?

Well, we figured a great series and all.
What's celebrating?

We have reason to celebrate.

Todd, you don't come with us?

Sure, why not?

What do you have in mind?

We have a belt, some thick steaks.

Sound good?

Yeah.

You buying?

You invited me, remember?

Oh, yeah.

I got a better idea. I think

we'll send the bill to Sidney.

I figure he owes us.

His knack for self -promotion made him a
worldwide legend. Let's meet master

escape artist Harry Houdini tonight on
Biography.

And now, is a surgeon using his skill to
kill? Columbo checks into a suspicious

bedside manner next on A &E.