Fire-Bug

Two evenings after his speech in the Senate on the bituminous horrors of Pennsylvania (see p. 9), Senator Johnson of California, in his mansion outside of Washington, was alarmed by the persistent barking of a dog. Halting a parlor cinema show in which he and his family were indulging, he hurried out--and found the carriage house aflame, the servants' wing just kindling. Rural firemen saved the mansion with difficulty. The Johnsons' two automobiles were destroyed and a quantity of antique furniture.

There was strong evidence of incendiarism. Senator Johnson could not guess whom to blame. Had his Senate speech attacked coal miners, someone would surely have imputed skullduggery to union labor. But Senator Johnson had defended union labor, attacked wealthy mine operators.

Nor dared the most vicious gossips accuse Senator Johnson's landlord of any trick. The house is historic Calvert Mansion, near Riverdale, Md. After Senator Johnson (Republican) rented it, Senator Caraway (Democrat) of Arkansas bought it and tried to persuade Senator Johnson to move out. Senator Johnson, standing on his lease, refused.