Life — September 17, 1914 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 476 The main cartoon depicts a circus or carnival tent labeled with women's issues: "Matrimony," "Big Show," "Feminism," and "Suffrage." The caption reads "Only Side Shows After All," suggesting the artist dismisses these movements as mere entertainment rather than serious concerns. The accompanying article, "The Case of the Kaiser," criticizes German Emperor Wilhelm II's authoritarian rule, arguing he wrongly blames others for Germany's troubles while refusing representative government. The author contends the Kaiser's absolute power and belief in divine appointment make him unfit to govern, particularly in the modern democratic age. The two photographs below show the "Fat Man's Club" on an outing, with humorous captions about counting skyscrapers, apparently satirizing leisure activities.