Life, 1913-08-07 · page 25 of 40
Life — August 7, 1913 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**The Image:** A photograph titled "Speed and Progress" shows a racing car with occupants with arms raised, while a formally-dressed man stands nearby observing. The image appears to ironically juxtapose modern automotive speed with the formal, static figure—suggesting commentary on progress and modernity. **The Text Content:** This page announces a writing contest offering $300 for the best 500-word essay arguing *against war*. The contest will close August 30th, with the winning entry published in Life's October "War Number." **The Satire:** The page's placement of this anti-war contest alongside the "Speed and Progress" photograph—celebrating mechanized velocity—appears darkly ironic. Given the pre-WWI timing suggested by the contest's focus and formal tone, Life seems to be satirizing how modern industrial "progress" (including automotive and military technology) paradoxically accelerates humanity toward war rather than away from it. **Kentucky Reciprocity verse** is unrelated filler humor about Southern drinking culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Action and Reaction KENTUCKY reciprocity Is simple and fraternal; First the colonel mixes juleps, Then the juleps mix the colonel. War or Peace? R the best original arraignment of war in five hundred words, Lire will pay three hundred dollars. The contributions as they are received will be passed upon and such as are accepted for publication will be paid for at five cents a word. The one which the editors of Lire consider the best of all the contributions accepted will receive the prize of three hundred dollars. The winning manuscript will be pub- lished in the War Number of Lire, to be issued the first week in October. This number will be the best pictorial and satirical arraignment of war that it is possible for Lire to publish. It SPEED AND PROGRESS will present the case against war from our own standpoint. The conditions of the contest are as follows: No manuscript shall exceed five hun- dred words in length, but any number of manuscripts on the subject can be sent in by one contributor. The name and address of cach con- testant should be placed upon the manuscript, which preferably should be typewritten. Manuscripts which are not accepted will be returned if accompanied by postage. The contest will close on Saturday, August Thirtieth. No manuscript re- ceived after noon on that date will be considered, If these rules are violated the judges reserve the right to debar the con- tribution. All contributions should be addressed to Gie Editor of Lire, 17 West jist Street, New York City; and “War Contest" should be put in the lower left-hand corner of the envelope. comicbooks.com