Life, 1914-07-02 · page 18 of 44
Life — July 2, 1914 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"Uncle Sam: Nothing Doing"** (top cartoon) satirizes a proposed job swap between a Kansas country newspaper editor and an Eastern magazine editor. The Eastern editor refused, claiming he wasn't qualified for the country paper's role. Life's commentary ironically praises this humility while suggesting the country editor showed poor judgment even *offering*—implying country journalism requires more skill than city magazine work. **"Off the Slate"** (top right illustration) depicts a figure writing on a slate or blackboard, likely representing editorial commentary or public discourse. **"I Wish I Was a Horse"** (bottom illustration) shows what appears to be a working man in difficult circumstances, expressing desire to be a horse—presumably commentary on labor conditions or class struggle of the era. The page also includes sections on Spain's naval expansion plans and a philosophical meditation on leadership direction. The satire throughout reflects early 20th-century American attitudes about regional journalism hierarchies and political governance.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Uncle Sam: NOTHING DOING Dangerous Exchange i Bia was an interesting statement made recently by the Kansas City Star, that an Eastern magazine editor refused to accept the invitation of the editor of a Kansas country paper to change places with him. His reason was that he didn’t feel equal to the job. We imagine that nobody will be likely to set up a complaint that he wasn’t right. We hold our brother, the editor of the country paper, no matter where he may be located, in the highest esteem. But it is rather surprising that in this instance he should have such a diminished sense of his responsibility as to be willing to give up his job to any ordinary magazine editor. It is only fair to him to say, however, that he may have considered that the good done to the magazine editor and the country at large, by taking his place, would offset the harm of his being out of it temporarily. Wise Old Spain ORD comes that Spain is going to have another navy; that she is going to spend eight million dollars an- nually for at least a decade to build battleships to provide an adequate defense from attacks which are not threat- ened. We congratulate our sister nation. This will give her another public question. If she has a Congressional Record, she will be able to devote many pages of it each year to sage discussions as to just how many tons of battleships are required to preserve a perfect balance of aggression, digression and distraction. Whither “VY7HITHER are we drifting?” is always a popular sub- ject, but wouldn't it be profitable to vary it occa- sionally by asking, “ Whither are our leading men leading us?” Not that we care, of course, but anything for a little novelty. Leading men cannot be leaders without lead- ing somewhither, If that isn’t one of the first axioms OFF THE SLATE in logic, it ought to be inserted at once. Very well, then; what could be more rational than an examination as to whither that somewhither is? The suggestion will probably be welcomed by sweet girl graduates and other graduates. a‘ ~ “1 WISH I WAS A HORSE” comichoo!