ORGANIZATIONS: 40 & 8 Out

The jolly veterans who comprise the American Legion’s fun-loving 40 & 8 Society have been wrangling for ten years over the Legion’s insistence that they drop their ban against admitting nonwhite members (American Indians are allowed). The Legion, which itself is interracial, pushed the question to a floor vote at the last convention (TIME, Sept. 7), but the integrationists lost. Authorized by his executive committee to the necessary steps, the Legion’s new National Commander, Martin McKneally, Newburgh (N.Y.) lawyer and World War II Army major, last week did just that. He ousted the 40 & 8, forbade it to use the American Legion name, emblem or any other Legion connection.