Arson!

Series

Series Name

The March of Time 2nd Year

Issue

Issue No.

7

Date Released

Jun 1936

Length of issue (in feet)

1856

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1Food or physical training?
2. 2Veterans of Future Wars
3. 3Arson!

Story

Story No. within this Issue

3 / 3

Summary

The March of Time synopsis: Every second, somewhere in the United States, a fire alarm sounds. Against these fires, whose annual toll is over £400,000,000 every community is organized. An alarm sends powerful engines through the streets. Along water fronts great fireboats are ready. Water pressure is stepped up. Newspaper reporters get the call. Police and ambulances stand by and insurance patrols rush to protect furnishings from damage by water. Unnoticed in the gaping crowds move men effectively campaigning in the unrelenting war on professional incendiaries, responsible for 50 to 75 per cent of all destructive fires. Behind these officials are smoothly geared organizations not only to detect arson already committed, but also to forestall it. Incendiaries fall into two classifications, those who start fires for gain, and maniacs who start them for a thrill, who act without reason on a mad impulse. Suspicious fires are charted on maps, and the marshals can predict the unseen movements of these maniacs, always in neighbourhoods where they have been successful before. Harder to detect are incendiaries who work methodically to collect insurance money. In New York’s financial section is a clearing house for arson investigation with an army of experts. But backbone of the war against arson are the marshals themselves, seasoned veterans, who as "March of Time" specifically portrays years ago laid the foundations of present-day methods. To-day this technique is so nearly perfected that few incendiaries can hope to escape detection for long.

Researcher Comments

This story was included in Vol.2 No.4 of the US edition.

Keywords

Fires

Written sources

Monthly Film Bulletin   Vol.4 No.38, 28 February 1937, p24.
The March of Time Promotional Material   Lobby Card, Used for synopsis

Credits:

Production Co.

Time Inc.