Life — May 22, 1913 — page 30: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“LR YE + What Do You Think? We are Constantly in Receipt of Important Letters Which are Too Long- for Our Limited Space. On Inviting Recruits Tue Epttor or Lire: Dear Stx—A recent number of your lively publication contained the follow- ing: Liars Want, “ Waxrep—Immediately — Conscience- Jess and convincing liars to write ad- Vertisements and draw pictures for the army and navy. These advertisements and. pictures must be shrewdly calcu- lated to reach the susceptibilities of ro- mantic youth. Life in the army and navy must be pictured as one continu- ous round of pleasure, chiefly beneath the sunny skies and amid the luxuriant verdure of some far-off tropical clime, where the happy enlisted man, unbur- dened by sordid mentalities, may Toll on the tapering sward, while voluptuous, dusky maidens bring him cooling drinks and disport for his delight. This is but a hint. See posters in any post office. There is no limit to the lies we are will- ing to tell in order to get hold of im- pressionable youngsters. Address Army and Navy, Washington, D. C.” As this office conducts the recrui service for the army and is responsible for all the advertising matter offered to the public for the purpose of stimulating enlistments, we naturally feel interested in this candid view of our efforts. We are compelled to take issue with Lirz on this subject. All our pictorial matter is lithographed in New York and no female of any age or race appears in any of BAS en ONBERSEN. THE GLOBE-TROTTER Brevity is Desirable them. They are merely pictures of men in uniform, with horses, guns, ete., and a modest landscape in which, if a palm tree or bamboo appears, it is because that kind of tree grows abundantly in the tropics, where a good part of our army is serving. The printed matter dis- tributed as handbills merely sets out facts and invites attention to the splendid opportunity offered by the service to young men. The fact is that Lire has made a mis- take, but a very natural one, and it is a significant tribute to the advantages of the army carcer that our prosaic efforts in print and picture to bring them before the public have impressed Lire as being too good to be true. We have no temp- tation to indulge in romance or em- broidery simply because the facts by themselves are so convincing that if we could bring them effectively to the at- tention of healthy young men our re- cruiting offices would be so thronged we would have to turn away multitudes and establish a waiting list as they do in ex- clusive clubs, but infinitely larger, of course. Now, if Lire still thinks it has just grounds for its criticism, and will point out wherein by deception or exaggeration or plain lying our advertising matter is false, we will gladly retire the offending stuff from circulation. Very truly, F. J. Kerxax, Adjutant General. Wasurxcrox, D.C, May 3, 1913. We Know No Better Dear Lire: You don't seem to mind hearing the real truth about your quite annoying and enjoyable self. Therefore I am about to tell you what I think about your choice of winning titles to the Picture Contests. I have never seen you fail to reward the least appropriate and most uninte esting quotation or title. I have never submitted one to the contests, but I feel a righteous indignation at your choices. Is there a reason, or am I a stupid as well as a Canvip Reaver, May 1, 1913. A Statement Tue Eprtor or Livi A report of the U. S. Commissioner of Education shows that the high schools of every State in the Union are graduat- ing more girls than boys—frequently twice or three times as many. So much for the menace of feminine illiteracy should women vote, pointed out in the letter quoted on p. 893 of Lire, May 1. Very truly yours, Mary Mitts West. Wasutixcrox, D.C, April 30, 1913. Is Real Humor Extinct ? To tue Epitor or Live: Lire seems to have difficulty in finding material for a “humorous number.” Lire ought to read the newspapers. What can be more deliciously and truly “humorous” than the surprise expressed at the discovery that the raise in wages granted to the coal miners was not and is not being paid by the companies, but by the public in increased prices? What did the dear public expect? What does it expect to get in any case where wages are raised—a lower selling price? The public is certainly humorous! But for humor unsurpassed and unsur- passable the Mexican government is en- titled to the prize. It has refused to recognize the Chinese Republic on the ground that “China is in an unsettled state!” . Henry Watporr Francis. Battimorr, Mo, Moy 1, 1913. A Prophecy Eprror or Lire: Dear Six—From time to time there appears a letter in your columns appre- ciating gratefully your attitude toward vivisection. Only those who suffer permanently from the knowledge of that horrible fact in the world know the intensity of that gratitude. There must be in reality thou- sands of people in the United States who would refuse to accept cures for them- selves or their children based on these experiments if they knew what they are; and since reliable physicians and sur- geons assure them that this martyrdom of the helpless is uscless as well as fear- ful, the public will wake up some day, and an educated consensus of opinion will begin to act through the courts. Live will have led the way. There is an inflexible law, expressed so simply that familiarity has bred an unfounded contempt for—or at least doubt of it: What a man sows that shall he also reap. It is a profound threat to a certain class, but may it reward Lire, and everything connected with it, from the editor to the immune office cat! Cras Louise Burnnam. Cutcaco, May 1, 1913. comicbooks.com