Life, 1914-10-08 · page 21 of 44
Life — October 8, 1914 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**The Main Cartoon ("Not in His War Plans"):** Shows a figure straining to push an enormous boulder labeled with the Mexican revolutionary leaders' names. This satirizes the Mexican Revolution's chaos—specifically the conflict between Villa and Carranza. The text argues Villa, despite his criminal record, possesses the "punch" and competence necessary to restore order in Mexico, whereas Carranza lacks practical force. The satire criticizes those expecting Mexico to self-govern without strong military leadership. **The Secondary Political Commentary:** Addresses President Wilson's proposed three-year truce between Colorado miners and coal companies. Wilson urged both sides to accept arbitration and withdraw Federal troops. The miners agreed; the companies refused unless terms changed. The author argues if Colorado cannot manage its own labor crisis, it should lose statehood and revert to territorial status under direct Federal control—a punitive suggestion reflecting frustration with state-level governance failure. Both pieces critique the tension between idealistic governance and practical necessity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NOT IN HIS WAR PLANS Teutonicus against which Professor Ernst Richard so lately warned the world. It must make direful reading for the German apologists. S between Villa and Carranza, Villa seems to have the most punch and the most sense. Where he got his sense is a mystery, but he has given surprising signs of having it. About his punch there is no ques- tion. He is the greatest force in Mexico, and, astonishing to say, it seems to be a force directed in the main to restoration of order and civil government, and to the prosecution of the reforms, especially the land reforms, which are essential to Mex- ico’s prosperity and peace. A force with punch to it is an in- dispensable requisite to the reconstruc- tion of Mexico. To get that country out of the woods there must be de- veloped a competent pathfinder, The job cannot be done on paper, nor by a committee, nor by any blanc-mange mould of a man, It is going to take a resolute, tenacious person with the will to do the job and sufficient force and intelligence to do it right. Madero had the will, but he did not have the force. Huerta may have had the force, but he did not have the will, He was not headed right. Villa’s development has been extraor- dinary. His record is spotted with crimes. No reasonably careful man can be expected to trust him. Never- theless, it is he more than anyone in sight Mexico who seems to have the indispensable qualifications to bring that country back to order with- out the active military help of the United States. As a Mexican asset Villa seems far more valuable than Carranza, He is opposed to Carranza as President. If they can’t get on together with Carranza as the figure- head and Villa as the force, the dis- position hereabouts will be to spare 625 Carranza rather than Villa from the reconstructive exercises in Mexico. RESIDENT WILSON has pro- posed to the miners and coal operating companies in Colorado a three-years truce of all their quarrels, and offered them a plan by which work can be resumed, all employees except lawbreakers reemployed, and points in dispute settled by an impar- tial commission. The President has urged acceptance of this plan upon both sides, saying that Federal troops had been in charge of the peace in Colorado long enough; that it was high time to withdraw them, and that if this proposed truce was not ac- cepted very disagreeable consequences might result. The miners have agreed to accept the President’s proposal, but the oper- ating companies decline it, unless it is changed in certain particulars, The President declines, as yet, to make any changes, so, at this writing, the whole matter remains up in the air. The arrangement the President pro- posed was carefully worked out, and he thinks it the best that can be offered, If it fails it would seem a proper time to consider having the Federal Government take over the management of the affairs of the State of Colorado until such a time as there is better promise than now of ability in that State to take care of itself. Government in Colorado has broken down. The State cannot handle its corporations and their employees. If the Federal Government has got to give the State police protection by Federal troops indefinitely, the terri- torial relation is more suitable for Colorado than statehood. It is alto- gether likely that if Colorado reverted to the territorial status, the President could appoint and send out to it a Governor who, with the help of a few Federal soldiers, could keep order and promptly secure obedience to the laws from all citizens. What Colorado seems to need most is government. If Denver can't furnish it, try Washington. comicbooks.com