Life, 1913-05-29 · page 19 of 44
Life — May 29, 1913 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is political satire mocking the poverty conditions of American diplomats abroad. Life proposes a tongue-in-cheek fundraising campaign to provide U.S. ambassadors with basic necessities—business suits, pajamas, a corkscrew, and ten dollars cash—treating these as luxuries. The joke targets government stinginess: diplomats supposedly represent American dignity internationally while living in shabby conditions. The cartoon illustrates an ambassador arriving at a foreign residence looking unprepared and poorly dressed. A quoted Washington official complains that even ten dollars is excessive, advocating five dollars instead—absurd parsimony that undercuts national prestige. Life sarcastically defends the fund against "revolutionary" criticism and wild rumors (like ambassadors owning cars), while emphasizing that maintaining "the dignity of the American Republic abroad" matters despite costs. The satire critiques both congressional cheapness and the implicit absurdity of expecting representatives to maintain diplomatic authority while impoverished.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Our Ambassadors’ Fund D° you wish to help our foreign Am- bassadors? Send in your contri- bution to our Ambassadors’ Fund. This fund is for the purpose of providing American Ambassadors living in foreign capitols with some of the necessities of life It is even hoped—as time gocs on— that enough may be raised to provide them with a few luxuries. The money will be distributed with judgment, where it will do the most good. Our aim is to fit out every foreign ambassador starting from this country with the fol- lowing Two business sui One set of evening clothes. Ethel: craciovs! 1's mim! One reversible uniform, which can be alternated on rainy days Two shifts of emuroidered pajamas for state occasions. One corkscrew. One pair of felt slippers. Ten dollars in cash This we regard as a modest and digni- fied outfit; yet it is considered extrava- gant by some. A gentleman writer from Washington says “T have been employed by the State Department for twenty years, or during four administrations, and I must say that T consider ten dollars too much for any of our Ambassadors to take abroad at one time. Better cut this down to five and turn the balance over to the Pension Bureau. Some foreign nation will surely go to war with us if they get the idea that we upon our foreign representatives.” We expected this sort of criticism. A revolutionary reform like ours is bound to excite some people. The wildest rumors have been current since we made our announcement. It has even been stated that cach of our foreign Ambassadors will drive his own auto! We beg to assure everybody that the only object of the fund is to provide our Ambassadors living abroad with three meals a day and a bed to sleep in. We believe, above all things, in maintaining the dignity of the American Republic abroad even if it costs ten or fiftcen dollars a week. Who will subscribe? are spending so much money comicbooks.com