Guardians in Blue

One of the week's more amusing incidents took place in Washington, D.C. last Thursday when the local American Legion chapter marched out to save Our Way of Life. Armed with signs stating "American Legion Opposes This Picture as Un-American" and "American Legion Says America First," the pudgy legionnaires picketed the Ontario Theatre and its feature, Death of a Salesman.

According to the chairman of the District Department of the American Legion's Americanism committee, this action was taken because some persons connected with the film's production were reported to have had Communist affiliations. The chairman also understood that the movie's contents were "objectionable because the picture showed the American scene in an unfavorable light." Legion officials have steadfastly refused to pollute themselves by seeing the picture or trying to make up their own minds about it.

This type of intimidation usually just increases attendence at the picketed theatre, but the Canoehats are currently considering similar action against fifty more films anyway. The Washington public will then get a good look at its self-appointed protectors and, we hope, laugh them off the sidewalk.