Late one afternoon last week a fire broke out in the sub-basement of the new House Office Building in Washington. Smoke filled the building, sent at least five U.S. Representatives clambering out of windows and down firemen's ladders. If most of the House members had not already declared themselves on vacation, there might have been some Congressional casualties (two firemen were hurt, a dozen suffered from smoke).
Next day only 13 of the House's 435 members were on the floor when Speaker Sam Rayburn banged his gavel, adjourned the House until Monday, Oct. 8. The recess was the longest any...
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