ONE HUNDRED PERCENT

If the plans of the American Legion reach their expected conclusion sturdy yeomen and burghers need no longer feel alarmed at the periodic revelations or radicalism in the United States. Under its auspices sixty national organize a "permanent All-American Conference for an aggressive fight to exterminate revolutionary and destructive radicalism and propaganda." Against a union of labor. Civil War veterans, brother Erik and Eagles, and motion picture producers even a bomb throwing anarchist would seem to have little chance of furthering his cause.

A proper defense against a gathering of the clans of radicalism into internationals is quite obviously a mastering of conservatives into such organizations as the All-American Conference; the only pus sling question is why no one has thought of this brilliant scheme before. An answer is suggested, however, by the nature of the resolutions adopted. Among other the Conference has decided to refuse to allow American's entry into the war to be debated and to demand that "unadulterated and undiluted American history" be taught in American schools, as opposed to the emasculated history has been introduced no generally... robbing democracy of its most precious heritage." If by undiluted history is meant a broadcasting of facts such as the smuggling operations of John Hancock, there is no occasion for criticism, but the tone of the resolution suggests a plea for the hurrah type of American history upon which much of the patriotism off American youth has been fed.

Since history has affirmed few truths as clearly as the one that the liberals and radicals of today are the conservatives to tomorrow there is little likelihood that the All-American Conference will either stamp out the radicalism of the present or live a long life. But even though its futility makes it harmless, there are strong reasons for branding the association with public disapproval. To organize the clubs and unions of twenty million people into a machine whose avowed purpose is the suppression of all ideas which conflict with the status quo is but another means of accomplishing the aims of medieval monarchs and inquisitors. The fight for free speech was won with blood and sacrifice; yet he victory is wasted if associations of private individuals undertake o accomplish what they refused to allow their government to do.