The Press: Pegler v. the Legion

Westbrook Pegler, a Hearst columnist, is fond of recalling that 15 years ago the American Legion gave him a plaque for striking "some blows for 'Americanism.' " Last week Pegler struck some blows at the Legion.

The Legion's Americanism Commission, said Peg, had "taken [him] to task"—and why? Just because he had reported when he was in Europe recently what any fool could plainly see: that U.S. union men are working with the Government to deliver Western Europe into the hands of socialism. The people who dare to disagree with Pegler's choleric omniscience are no ordinary fools. Nevertheless, in this case, said Peg, the facts should be plain, even "should be known to the shallow politicians of the Legion in their jealous competition for trashy publicity to promote their insurance business, their public-relations mills and their paltry aspirations." And one other thing: the Legion could come take their plaque back, any time they felt like it.