In January 1942, a month after the United States entered World War II, reporter John Royer (James Stewart) returns to the United States. He goes to see his friend, newspaper publisher John Manchester (Lionel Barrymore), about a scheme to smuggle desperately needed rubber out of Japanese occupation of Malaya. Manchester, though he has been selected by the government to deal with the rubber shortage, does not seem interested, but later, government agent Kellar (John Hodiak) takes him to a meeting with Manchester and others. They give their approval.