Life, 1913-02-06 · page 21 of 48
Life — February 6, 1913 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"The Passing of Father"** is a nostalgic lament about the disappearance of the traditional Victorian patriarch. The article mourns that fathers no longer fulfill their historical roles—praying with children, heating milk at night, providing comfort during illness, and reading classics aloud. The tone suggests these domestic duties have become rare or obsolete, reflecting early 20th-century anxieties about changing family structures and masculinity. The accompanying cartoon shows a woman pointing out a man smoking a cigar, noting he promised not to smoke after New Year's—revealing the joke: fathers make resolutions they immediately break, exemplifying their unreliability or weakness. **"Advice to Green-Eyed Monsters"** is satirical commentary on naval rivalry and nationalism. It mocks American triumphalism by sarcastically endorsing jealousy between states over naming a new dreadnought battleship (USS Pennsylvania), then extends this to foreign nations. The satire critiques the arms race mentality and competitive nationalism driving military expansion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Passing of Father F THER is going. The patient, kind spirit who made us say our prayers at night and tucked us up in bed, will soon be a thing of the past. Even now it is rare to find him anywhere. We can see him yet—for our childish memory goes back almost to the beginning—bending over our cribs and anon, She: suexe! Look at THAT! AND JONUN SAID NE WOULD NOT SMOKE APTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. “Qr’S NOT SMOKING. THAT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE CIGARS HE RECEIVED FOR CHRISTMAS.” “TME LEAVIN’ Lavy’s KID” in the still (except for our presence) watches of the night heating the milk over the gas stove. And when mother used to come home from the caucus, how father’s face would light up, when, before turning in, she nodded her approval! There was nobody in all the world quite like father. No matter what our troubles were. we always found a safe refuge in his sympathetic bosom. How soft was his voice as he read aloud to us at night from Elinor Glyn's fairy stories and other well-known classics. And when we tossed on our beds in fever, there was no cooling touch like father's, Who will take his place? Advice to Green-Eyed Monsters I" is not for other States to be jealous of Pennsylvania because her name is to be given fo the new battleship which has just been planned, and which is to be the biggest dreadnought in the world. Let the other States remember that little invidious matters of this sort cannot possibly be avoided in carrying forward that greater international policy of invidiousness which is so essential to the physical wel- fare and peace of mind of a world power. It is not for other States, but for other nations to be jealous of us in the possession of this alleged implement of war. It is solely for foreign green-eyed monsters to direct their emerald searchlights upon our stores and then scamper swiftly away to lay down keels for something bigger, grander, mighticr and more costly. comicbooks.com