Pegler, Westbrook

Pegler, (Francis) Westbrook (1894–1969) journalist; born in Minneapolis, Minn. As a columnist for the Hearst-owned King Features Syndicate (1944–62), he won a 1941 Pulitzer Prize for exposing labor corruption but became more noted for vitriolic attacks on public institutions and figures; one target, journalist Quentin Reynolds, sued him and won $175,001. Quitting his column in a dispute over editing, Pegler later wrote for American Opinion, an organ of the ultraconservative John Birch Society.