Life, 1914-08-06 · page 25 of 40
Life — August 6, 1914 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This *Life* magazine page contains satirical commentary on early 20th-century business and institutional conflicts. **"Corroborating Woodrow"** mocks President Wilson's claim that business depression is psychological. The article notes that Republican papers attack Wilson by citing British editor Sir George Paish, who agrees with Wilson's optimism about future growth—undermining the Republicans' criticism. **"A Matter of Duty"** highlights a conflict of interest involving Arthur Twining Hadley, who simultaneously served as Yale University's president AND as a director of the New Haven Railroad. Yale had lost substantial income when the railroad was "fiscalized" (placed under government control). The satire points out the absurdity: Hadley cannot ethically pressure himself (as railroad director) to compensate Yale (his university). The suggestion for restitution should come *from* President Hadley, not *to* him as Director Hadley—exposing the impossibility of his dual roles. The top cartoon satirizes tourists finding the railroad landscape uninteresting, contrasting with the serious institutional malfeasance discussed below.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Tourist: WHAT A SINGULARLY BLANK AND UNINTERESTING STRETCH OF COUNTRY! Corroborating Woodrow HEN President Wilson says the trouble with business is psycho- logical, the know-better Republican and other papers point at him with the finger and cry “Sic him!” to their cartoonists. But what about Editor Sir George Paish, of the London Statist, who says in his paper: “There is no funda- mental reason for depression. The main cause of the existing situation is that Continental and American investors have lost their nerve.” : He agrees with President Wilson that there is great business ahead. When the Balkans and Mexico have been straightened out and the Inter- state Commerce Commission has taken action on railroad rates, there will be, he says, “a greater (trade) expansion than ever known before”. A Matter of Duty HE New York World notes that Yale University has lost a very substantial income through the fiscali- zation of the New Haven road, and suggests that it is Director Hadley’s duty: “To influence the university cor- poration to bring suits for restitution against any directors of the road who may be held responsible for the plundering of the property.” This is a nice point involved here. Of course it would be perfectly proper for President Arthur Twining Hadley of Yale to get together and talk things over with Director Arthur Twining Hadley of the New Haven road, but we rather incline to the opinion that the suggestion for restitution, if any, would come more gracefully from President Hadley than from Director Hadley. A CIVIL ENGINEER comicbooks.com