Life, 1914-05-14 · page 18 of 44
Life — May 14, 1914 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page satirizes American opinions about the **Mexican-American War** through a mock-catalog format. The text humorously categorizes different "types" of war views as products for sale: - **War-At-Any-Price Howls**: Hawkish, jingoistic views appealing to the young and profiteers - **Grape-Juice Specials**: Pacifist/moral positions for elderly and literary figures - **Knocker's Bargains**: Cynical anti-government criticism - **On-the-Fencers**: Wishy-washy non-committal stances - **Stand-By-the-Administration Views**: Pro-government patriotic support The satire mocks how Americans adopt pre-packaged political positions rather than thinking independently. The cartoons above and below illustrate embarrassing social moments—forgetting to pay a taxi, interrupting an engagement—suggesting the absurdity of people's contradictory or thoughtless behaviors, paralleling their adoption of convenient political opinions without genuine conviction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SNAPSHOT OF A GENTLEMAN WHO SUDDENLY REALIZES THAT HE FORGOT TO DISCHARGE HIS TAXI Views For All E beg leave to announce that we have on hand the largest assortment of views and opinions about the war with Mexico ever gathered together. Now’s the time to complete your stock. Our assortment of War Views has been collected with great care from every available source, domestic and foreign. New additions constantly made. Drop in and make a selection. If you are not fully satisfied, we will cheerfully exchange. Some of our leading varieties are as follows: War-At-Any-Price Howls. These come in lurid colors with yellow streaks throughout. Suitable for the very young, including college students, and also those who are financially interested in exploiting their country at the expense of genuine patriotism. Grape-Juice Specials. These views are largely water colored, and intensely moral. Suitable for old ladies, some popular types of literary men, and other senti- mentalists. Knocker’s Bargains. These views are all of uniform pattern and their motto is Knock-Everything-Done-By-the Government-On-General-Principles. If you firmly believe that you are doing your country the most good by adopt- ing this kind of an attitude you should look over these views at once. They include every variety of cynicism, cheap wit, sneers and denunciation. On-the-Fencers, A job lot of assorted ambiguities, a wonderful mingling of hesitations, backings-and-fillings, reversals and non-committals, including a specially fine as- sortment of cost-more-in-the-ends. Stand-By-the-Administration Views. These are all fast- colors, principally reds, whites and blues and we can cor- dially recommend them as constantly increasing in im- portance and value. They include a fine lot of Get-To- gethers and are becoming more popular all the time. If you are doubtful about your ability to absorb them all at once, you can get them on the installment plan. More dur- able in the long run than any other kind. “DARN you! IF YOU HADN'T BUTTED IN, WE'D HAVE BEEN MARRIED IN TWO MINUTES MORE!” micbooks.com