Life, 1914-08-13 · page 19 of 40
Life — August 13, 1914 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page addresses the looming threat of World War I to American domestic concerns. The main cartoon depicts a stadium of distracted spectators (Americans) watching Europe's conflict unfold, illustrating the caption "Man's Inhumanity to Man Makes Countless Thousands Mourn." The accompanying editorial argues that European war will overshadow American priorities: New York's gubernatorial election, Colonel Roosevelt's speeches, Mexican tensions (Villa), domestic legislation, and commerce. The text references specific political figures—Senator Bristow opposing banker Paul Warburg's confirmation to the Federal Reserve Board, and pacifists Bryan and Carnegie—to show how even these contentious domestic debates pale beside the European crisis. The piece expresses anxiety about American neutrality's sustainability while acknowledging civilization's cyclical tendency toward conflict, despite claims of moral progress. The overall tone conveys how utterly the approaching war dominates American consciousness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“MAN'S INHUMANITY TO MAN MAKES COUNTLESS THOUSANDS MOURN” clearing away of obstacles to the de- velopment of the peoples whose devel- opment shows the most promise. The last big war in Europe gave Germany an Emperor and France a President. The next may give Germany a President, and to Russia commission government, and to Austria heaven knows what, for tradition, when the smoke clears away, may be found among the dead on the field. Nobody can guess what will come in the wake of such a war as now seems under way; nobody can say whether there will be a crowned head left in Europe. All anybody can safely assert is that a vast treasure will be consumed, and that tens of thousands of the best lives in Europe will go out. HIS enormous topic puts all ordi- nary topics deep in the shade. Watching Europe is the ruling occupa- tion in these States at this writing, and it is a pretty lively job, especially for thousands of people who have friends traveling abroad, and who want mightily to know what is happening to them and how they are to get home. Our government is taking thought actively about them, of course, but war is not polite, and does not always wait for non-combatants to get out of the way. Our friends in England we think of as safe. About our friends in France we shall think with more anxiety until we hear further. There is a great food problem com- ing, and great money problems. So far the chief function of these States in relation to the threatened suicide of Europe has been to assist the intend- ing decedent. in turning his effects into cash. But if the threat is to be carried out there will be fiscal trans- actions to conduct that will call for the highest available skill, and that has stirred again the demand for Mr. War- burg on the Federal Reserve Board and the prompt completion of that board so that it may proceed to busi- ness. No doubt Senator Bristow, of Kansas, will oppose confirmation of 263 Mr. Warburg to the end, but there is a Democratic majority in the Senate, and why Senator Bristow should have his way does not appear. F all Europe is to be one tremendous moving picture of war it will be hard for us to keep our minds suffi- ciently on things at home to do our necessary business here. There is a Governor to be selected in New York, and Colonel Roosevelt is going to make speeches, but who will listen with Armageddon going on over there? Who will keep an eye on Villa, who seems to ‘need close attention? The crops will be got in, because that is some- thing that has to be done, and Europe will need bread; but who will read the finally perfected anti-trust bill, and how will the papers find space to print it? The decision of the Interstate Com- merce Commission so anxiously awaited is in, and gives the railroads some relief, but there is no Stock Exchange to give judgment on it. School is keeping in Europe for all mankind while these terrific possibili- ties impend. We are prone to forget what sort men are; prone to think they have become different; have risen above the possibilities of such be- haviors as they once committed. But who, besides Mr. Bryan, and perhaps Mr. Carnegie, can think yet of civiliza- tion without wars? Men fight more po- litely than they used to, and are less cruel in retaliation and revenge, but there is as much fight in them as ever, and when the preventives of war and the sacrifices to avert war and preparations for war have finally got too irksome to be endured, at it they go, hammer and tongs, and the best men win, pre- sumably. At any rate, results come in that way that do not come otherwise. If Europe must have an enormous revolutionary convulsion preceding some new arrangement of her institu- tions and the relations of men, she will have it, and have it to a finish, and we who will look on must learn what we can and help as we may. comicbooks.com