Frank Overton Quotes

Atticus I must be losing my memory. I can't remember whether Jem is twelve or thirteen. Anyway, it'll have to come before the county court. Of course, it's a clear-cut case of self defense. I'll, uh... well, I'll run down to the office--

Sheriff Heck Tate Mr. Finch, do you think Jem killed Bob Ewell? Is that what you think? Your boy never stabbed anyone.

Sheriff Heck Tate Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He killed himself. There's a black man dead for no reason; now the man responsible for it is dead. Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr. Finch. I never heard tell it was against the law for any citizen to do his utmost to prevent a crime from being committed, which is exactly what he did. But maybe you'll tell me it's my duty to tell the town all about it and not to hush it up? Well, you know what'll happen then? All the ladies in Maycomb, including my wife, will be knocking on his door bringing angel food cakes. To my way of thinking, taking the one man who's done you and this town a big service and dragging him with his shy ways into the limelight — to me, that's a sin. It's a sin, and I'm not about to have it on my head. I may not be much, Mr. Finch, but I'm still Sheriff of Maycomb County, and Bob Ewell fell on his knife. Good night, sir.

Marshall Nevsky General Bogan, can you explain this maneuver? One of your planes has just appeared again.

Gen. Bogan It's standard procedure, Marshal Nevsky. That's our number six plane, the decoy plane. It's trying to draw your fighters away from our other plane carrying the bombs. It carries only defensive equipment. You don't have to worry about it.

Marshall Nevsky Thank you. We shall try for a kill in any case.

Gen. Bogan You'll scatter your forces. You don't have time for that. I tell you, it doesn't carry any bombs. You don't have to worry about it! You're letting our other plane get through! I told you!

Voice on the other end of the Russian hotline There has been a... Marshal Nevsky has collapsed. It appears... Well, I don't know. General Koniev is now in command.

The President Bogan, what's happened?

Gen. Bogan Marshal Nevsky sent his fighters after a plane that carried no bombs. That means our number one plane will almost certainly get through. The marshal realized that. It was too much for him.

Gen. Bogan Sergeant Collins! On the double!

Gen. Bogan You're backup man on fire control, aren't you?

TSgt. Collins Yes sir.

Gen. Bogan Do our Vindicator missiles have both infrared and radar-seeking capacity?

TSgt. Collins Yes sir.

Gen. Bogan Loud and clear! They've got to know we're on the level!

TSgt. Collins It has both capacities, sir!

Marshall Nevsky Can the radar-seeking mechanism be overloaded by increasing the strength of the signal?

Gen. Bogan Tell him!

TSgt. Collins Yes, sir. It can be overloaded, by increasing the power output and sliding through radar frequencies as fast as possible, what happens is the firing mechanism reads the higher amperage as proximity to the target, and detonates the warhead.

Marshall Nevsky Thank you General Bogan, we will get back to you.

Gen. Bogan That's all, Sergeant.

Congressman Raskob What does it mean?

Gordon Knapp We've told them how to blow up our air-to-air missiles, and with them our planes.

Prof. Groeteschele In my opinion they will take no action at all.

Gen. Stark They're not going to just sit there, Professor

Prof. Groeteschele I think if our bombers get through the Russians will surrender.

Gen. Bogan Who's this professor, Mr. Secretary? What's he doing there?

Defense Secretary Swenson Professor Groeteschele is a civilian advisor to the Pentagon, General. Will you explain your statement, Professor?

Prof. Groeteschele The Russian aim is to dominate the world. They think that Communism must succeed eventually if the Soviet Union is left reasonably intact. They know that a war would leave the Soviet Union utterly destroyed. Therefore, they would surrender.

Gen. Stark But suppose they feel they can knock us off first?

Prof. Groeteschele They know we might have a doomsday system, missiles that would go into action days, even weeks after a war is over and destroy an enemy even after that enemy has already destroyed us.

Brig. Gen. Black Maybe they'll think that even capitalists aren't that insane, to want to kill after they themselves have been killed.

Prof. Groeteschele These are Marxist fanatics, not normal people. They do not reason they way you reason, General Black. They're not motivated by human emotions such as rage and pity. They are calculating machines. They will look at the balance sheet, and they will see they cannot win.

Defense Secretary Swenson Then you suggest doing what?

Prof. Groeteschele Nothing.

Defense Secretary Swenson Nothing?

Prof. Groeteschele The Russians will surrender, and the threat of Communism will be over, forever.

Gen. Bogan That's a lot of hogwash. Don't kid yourself, there'll be Russian generals who will react just as I would - the best defense is a good offense. They see trouble coming up, take my word for it, they'll attack, and they won't give a damn what Marx said.

Prof. Groeteschele Mr. Secretary, I am convinced that the moment the Russians know bombs will fall on Moscow, they will surrender. They know that whatever they do then, they cannot escape destruction. Don't you see, sir, this our chance. We never would have made the first move deliberately, but Group 6 has made it for us, by accident. We must take advantage of it - history demands it. We must advise the President not to recall those planes.