Bishop Berkeley once said, "Whatever the world thinks, he who hath not much meditated upon God, the human mind, and the summon bonum, may possibly make a thriving earthworm, but will most indubitably make a sorry patriot and a sorry statesman."

For God and Country

A few days age a group of American Legionnaires, wearing their Legion caps, and led by members of the local constabulary, broke up a meeting which was about to he addressed by Earl Browder, beating up those who resisted them with clubs and pistol-butts. According to newspaper reports, the attack was made following a cry of "All red-blooded Americans, come on!"

There seems to be at present, except in the minds of the Legionaries themselves, some doubt as to what constitutes a red-blooded American, but there are those who would consider that to call these clowns earthworms would be to dignify them far beyond their due.

The American Legion was founded ostensibly to foster patriotism, and to continue to serve the country in peace as in war. Since the war, the Legion has demanded a bonus for their war services, based on what logic it is difficult to see. They forced payment of that bonus years before it was due. Now they are pressing on to demand pensions for every member, and for their families, no matter when required. Beside these mammoth treasury raids, unhesitatingly made in times of severe economic distress, the petty steals in disability pensions which produced such paradoxes as football players drawing total disability pay become pale and unimportant.

To foster patriotism, and to serve the country in peace as well as in war, the American Legion stages annually the World's Greatest Organized Drunk. There pot-bellied morons, stinking drunk, and once again briefly freed from the ties of home, dirty up the town which has been lucky enough to secure their services, pinch and heckle the female passers-by, and in general demonstrate to the world the manifold advantages of the democracy for which it was, unfortunately, not made safe.

To foster patriotism, and to serve the country in peace as in war, the Legion has backed teacher's oath bills, attempted to gag the press, and indulged in countless notable examples of fair play such as the recent silencing of Mr. Browder.

If men like these are red-blooded Americans, for God's sake bring on the Bolsheviks.