Life, 1914-07-30 · page 32 of 40
Life — July 30, 1914 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This "Letters to the Editor" page showcases reader responses to Life's editorial positions and satirical content. **Main cartoon:** Shows a child praying for "a new baby," likely referencing Life's campaign for a "Sane Fourth of July"—a crusade against dangerous Independence Day celebrations that caused numerous injuries and deaths. The implicit dark humor: the child prays for a replacement sibling lost to Fourth of July accidents. **Letter disputes:** - One writer credits Life (not the Chicago Tribune) with originating the "Sane Fourth" movement and praises Life's graphic depictions of injured children as effective advocacy. - Another defends Leonard D. Abbott's status as a "native American" despite his British birth, citing General Meade as precedent. - A third attacks Life's anti-vivisection cartoons as unfair to legitimate medical researchers, accusing the magazine of depicting scientists dishonestly while readers benefit from animal-tested medicines. These letters reveal Life's role as both **satirist and social reformer**, with readers debating the ethics of using graphic imagery and exaggeration for social causes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
196 What DoY ou Think? We Are Constantly in Receipt of Impor- tent Letters Which Are Too Long for Our Limited Space. Brevity Is Desirable. The Tribune’s Mistake The Tribune inaugurated the sane Fourth movement in 1899. In its capacity as a news gatherer it was impressed by the great and needless loss of life and the countless cases of serious injury as the result of the annual old-fashioned observance of the nation’s birthday. The crusade for a “ Sane Fourth” brought nation-wide approval and support from newspapers throughout the country. As a result of this crusade, succeeding years have wit- nessed a steady decrease in the num- ber of casualties attending Fourth of July celebrations. Eprtor Lire: The Chicago Tribune claims credit for having started the “Sane Fourth”. 1 don't believe them. I give Lire this envied distinction. The picture of the injured lad—I looked for it, but in vain, this year—has preached the gospel of a “Sane Fourth” more effectively than all the written pleas ever printed. Why did you omit it this year? If there be a chance that it will not appear next year I'll be one to contribute towards a page advertisement in your July 4th number for 1915—the “copy” furnished to be that picture. Yours, Griptey Apams. Cuicaco, Itt., July 6, 1914. UR correspondent is right. Lire started the crusade. Tue Eprrors. No Misstatement Visible To tHe Eprtor or Lire: So many letters must have reached you concerning the misstatement you have made regarding my dear friend, Leonard D. Abbott, that perhaps I ought not to add to the number. Your assertion that he is not a native American seems based upon the fact that Leonard Dalton Abbott was born in Liver- pool. Mr, Abbott is a native American, He comes from a long line of native Americans, men and women born in this country for generations past. The fact that Mr. Abbott was born abroad would not of itself affect his title to the dignity of native American. General Meade, “MOTHER! COME QUICK! WILLIE’S GOIN’ TO PRAY FOR A NEW BABY!” hero of Gettysburg, was born in Spain, but he was a native American, like Leonard Dalton Abbott. Yours very truly, ALEXANDER Harvey. New York, July 8, 1914. 'HO'S WHO IN AMERICA says Leonard D, Abbott was born in Liverpool in 1878 and came to these States in 1897. His ideas seem to have been imported.—Tue Eprtors. One or Two of Our Faults Lire Pustisnine Co., Gentlemen: I am in receipt of your interesting letter of June zoth inviting me to sub- scribe to Lire. You describe Lire as a “humorous” paper with a high standard. Maybe it is. Personally, { think that truth is the highest standard, and no publication can lay claim to truthfulness that says and draws what Lire does about so-called vivisection. Permit me te say that your views on that subject are most narrow and inaccurate. Where you got them and why you persist in them are questions I am unable to answer. T like Lire. up copies and Surreptitiously I pick enjoy them, unless, perchance, I run across one of your evil- intentioned drawings, Surely only a mean spirit could depict honest investi- gctors after scientific truth in the man- ner which Lire uses to portray all animal experimenters, I dare say you would be among the very first to insist upon profiting by these experiments. You would want antitoxin; you would insist that your cretin child be treated with thyroids; you would expect your surgeon to be skilled in delicate abdominal oper- ations, the actual technique of which had to be worked out on etherized animals rather than that he should experiment on one of your own. If your propaganda vide care and comfort for the thou- sand homeless stray animals in the street—hardly enjoying life themselves and a menace to your children—I could understand you, but for you to set yourself against the work that men of the very highest character are doing, unselfishly for the good of humanity, leaves one to conclude that your judg- ment is swayed by a sympathy that is ill-informed and maudlin. And so I cannot in conscience subscribe to your publication. Yours very truly, James V. Freeman, Jacksonvitte, Fia., June 27, 1914 were to pro- icbooks.com