Life, 1913-11-27 · page 17 of 40
Life — November 27, 1913 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical cartoons about early 20th-century social observations: 1. **Top left ("Paradise and the Periette")**: A man at a home's door, likely commenting on domestic life or romantic pursuit, quoting Tom Moore's poetry. 2. **Top right**: A naval scene where someone suggests dressing a newborn boy in blue so he'll "walk the quarter deck as his daddy used to"—satirizing military/naval family legacy and pressure to follow paternal footsteps. 3. **Bottom ("Great Is War")**: Critiques modern warfare tactics. The accompanying text mocks how generals now fight battles from comfortable rear positions (25-50 miles back) using wireless telegraph, aeroplanes, and mechanical devices—sitting in easy chairs with cigars and drinks—rather than leading troops directly. This contrasts the "effete past" of generals charging enemy lines with current practice where "soldiers are still doing business at the front" while leadership remains insulated. The cartoon below shows a couple's hotel complaint about a woman's low-backed dress. The satire targets both military modernization's disconnect from frontline reality and broader social pretensions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PARADISE AND THE PERIETTE “ONE MORN A PERI AT THE GATE ‘ -AND IF IT'S A BOY, SIR, WE'LL DRESS HIM UP IN BLUE OF EDEN STOOD, DISCONSOLATE.” AND HE'LL WALK THE QUARTER DECK AS HIS DADDY USED Tom Moore, “ Lalia Rookh”. TO DO.” Great Is War wee is progressing. During the latest French manoeuvres the generals of each opposing army were located from twenty-five to fifty miles in the rear. By means of the wireless telegraph, aeroplanes and various mechanical devices showing the dispo- sition of troops, they sat back in easy chairs,—at their elbows bottles, siphons and Havanas—and fought their battles even beyond hearing of the distressing intonations of the guns. The harrowing spectacle of some valuable general charging the enemy at the head of his troops, having horses shot under him every other minute and liable to lose his own precious life, has now become a thing of the effete past. The heads of the army have joined the great statesmen who, securely en- RP Wee ean trenched in their respective capitals, bring on the war in the first place. The soldiers are still doing business at the front. But that is, of course, a “MERCIFUL HEAVENS, JOHN! WHAT KIND OF A HOTEL IS THIS? THAT WOMAN HASN'T ANYTHING HAS. 1 WENT AROUND IN FRONT TO SEE, HER DRESS IS JUST LOW IN THE BACK.” mere detail.