Life, 1914-09-03 · page 23 of 48
Life — September 3, 1914 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon, titled "By Divine Right!," depicts a crucified Christ figure overlooking a battlefield scene—likely referencing World War I, which the text confirms is ongoing "behind a great veil" along the France-Belgium frontier. The accompanying editorial argues against German militarism and the doctrine of Teutonic superiority. It criticizes Germany's belief that it alone deserves dominance ("the Teuton is the Only Hope"), warning that such ideology has isolated Germany diplomatically and will lead to ruin rather than victory. The author expresses American sympathy for Germany's people while rejecting its leadership's militaristic philosophy. The cartoon's juxtaposition of Christian sacrifice with warfare suggests the moral bankruptcy of Germany's militaristic "divine right" ideology—presenting it as blasphemous contradiction. The page also covers domestic American politics, including Roosevelt's speeches and presidential appointments, indicating this is from 1914, early in WWI.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
the sun. There is lots of room for them, especially in Asia. Why this urgent necessity to bite off their so numerous heads? Is it that the world from the German point of view has only two kinds of nations—those whom she can thrash, and those who might thrash her? Is it an essential part of the militaristic conception that every- body on earth must some time be fought and, if possible, thrashed? Is it that terrible obsession that has left Germany without one zealous friend in all the earth and with only one ally in Europe? We people of the United States seem to be the best friends she has in the world, the most solicitous for her true welfare, the most anxious to save the pieces of her if she gets broken. But we don’t like her. mili- tarism, nor believe in her theory that . the Teuton is the Only Hope. It is no vital defect in her people, but a dreadful misdirection of leadership that has got her, as we see, into a war in which defeat will be disaster but victory would be ruin, Yes, ruin in- fallibly; for there is not room on earth for the Germany of the Kaiser’s hopes and Bismarck’s purposes. There is no place, no possible toleration, for a superman nation that would dominate mankind. The Germans must be con- tent to be good people, living among good people and polite to them. That is the best that the future offers to any nation. EANWHILE the great war goes on behind a great veil two hun- dred miles long, stretching from Brussels around down the eastern frontier of France. At this writing, we still have scant news of its pro- ceedings, beyond what came about Liége and the capture of Brussels and reports of French successes in Alsace. We think we know that something like two hundred thousand British troops are somewhere in France, with twice as many Belgians and five times as many Frenchmen, practicing to stem the huge incoming German tide. The Pope is dead—a good old man, “BY DIVINE RIGHT!” very much respected, though perhaps not so useful to his generation as though he had a more contempora- neous comprehension of modern times. He owed his election to Austria, but nullified immediately on his accession the veto power that Austria had had on the election of Popes. If Europe is to be torn apart and reassembled it may make a difference what manner of thinking man the new Pope is, A few of us still pay some slight attention to our own political affairs. Colonel Roosevelt has been talking in New England, and was able to make himself heard by as many as listened. There was a Republican convention at Saratoga and Mr. Root made a speech urging his brethren to save the country from the Democrats. The President has appointed Mr. McReynolds to the Supreme Court, and invited Mr. Gregory, of Texas, to be Attorney- General. Mr. Gregory is an able man, and lives far enough away from New York to be beyond suspicion, It has taken two years to find a person whom the President was willing to trust to be the successor of William Williams as Commissioner of Immi- gration in New York. He is found. His name is Frederick Clemson Howe. He is a Tom Johnson Democrat from Cleveland, and has been a teacher of law in Cleveland and a lecturer on politics in Wisconsin. Mr. Howe has plenty of record, and it all looks pretty good,