Loveland’s letter shows how, long before the election, the U.S. is already gravitating toward fascism: speech is no longer free, and the division between military and civilian life is disappearing. The canary in Jessup’s study is a clear reference to the idiom of a “canary in the coal mine”—or an early indicator of coming danger. Of course, Lewis uses this heavy-handed metaphor to suggest that many more atrocities are coming, and that Jessup should not be so complacent. After all, if nations show warning signs of fascism long before they actually hand power to fascist dictators, then intellectuals like Jessup ought to recognize the signs and start fighting back as soon as possible. (This is precisely what Lewis was trying to do by publishing this book.)