Those were definitely different times. According to that article:

The first Superman adventure took aim at mob rule, vigilantes breaking into a jail to lynch an innocent man.

Superman not only takes a stand against vigilantism but the inherent dangers of capital punishment.

But Superman quickly moves from the domestic to the global, targeting munitions lobbyists and arms dealers campaigning for war.

He seems very Captain America, except Superman came out 3 years prior to the Capt.

Nowadays it seems like most shows glorify vigilantism (Bill Maher rant on it), and the USA is the weapons dealer (Iron Man style).