Life — November 20, 1913 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# The Army - Life Magazine Commentary This page is a serious editorial essay (not satire) titled "The Army," advocating for military service as a respectable profession. The small illustration shows a soldier in uniform. The text argues that army service offers practical benefits: decent pay (starting around $15-17 per month for enlisted men), food, clothing, medical care, and opportunity for advancement to officer rank through merit. The author positions the military as a legitimate career path comparable to other professions, countering what appears to be contemporary social stigma against soldiers as low-status or unmotivated. The essay emphasizes that modern warfare requires trained, educated soldiers—not merely "wage-earning and money-getting" men—and that military science demands intellectual rigor alongside physical capability. It presents army service as patriotic duty and practical self-improvement.