"American" Legion

Another attempt at violation of civil rights has been added to the record of America's super-patriots, the Legionnaires. Not content with incessantly trying to bar Communists from the New York ballot or with supporting Martin Dies' infamous "investigation" of "un-American" activities, the Legion has protested a scheduled speech by Harry Bridges in Emerson Hall next Armistice Day. The State Adjutant repeated the familiar phrases, terming Bridges "alien" and his ideas "un-American."

No one can deny that Bridges is an alien. That is a matter of record. But the Communistic tenor of his ideas still has not been proved. Dean Landis of the Law School said Bridges was not a Communist; Attorney General Biddle said he was and ordered his deportation. Now the issue lies before the courts. Blackstone once expressed the principle that a man is innocent until proved guilty. Perhaps the Legion does not believe in following the English common law. After all, it isn't American.

Suppose that Bridges is a Communist. Then the issue boils down to whether a Communist should speak on Armistice Day. The Legion answers in the negative, holding that "it is in poor taste to invite a person with his reputation to be a speaker on the very day when every veteran of World War 1 is observing the end of hostilities in the successful fight for American ideals in 1918, the same ideals and principles involved in the present war, which this man tried to tear down and replace with un-American Communistic theories." For twenty years, the Supreme Court (a thoroughly American institution) has consistently upheld the right of Communists to speak whenever and wherever they please. That right includes Armistice Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Michaelmas Eve, and rainy Thursdays.

In point of fact, Bridges will not be "an Armistice Day speaker." He is delivering his address on November 11 simply because that day is most convenient. His subject, "Labor and the War," is no more contrary to American ideals and principles than President Conant's address on "The Classless Society" (a thoroughly Communistic ideal).

If the Liberal Union and the Teachers' Union wish to invite Harry Bridges to speak, that is their privilege. If Bridges accepts the invitation, that is his privilege. If Harvard grants the use of its buildings, that is the University's privilege. These are facts. To deny their validity is to rip the Bill of Rights bodily from the Constitution, a thoroughly American document.