Life, 1914-10-08 · page 32 of 44
Life — October 8, 1914 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"Persons in the Drama"** is a satirical character list for what appears to be a play or narrative about international conflict. The allegorical characters represent geopolitical forces: "Miss Race" (nations/peoples), "Monsieur Greed" (avarice), "Major Diplomacy" (deceit), "Ruler War Lord" (militarism), and "Redlight Gunman" (violence/assassination). "Mars" (god of war) and "Madam Famine" represent war's consequences. **"Boy Scouts, Not Warriors"** presents a reader's defense against Life's recent criticism that Boy Scouts function as "breeding place for war germs." The correspondent argues the organization teaches woodcraft and conservation, not militarism—uniforms derive from hunting/cowboy styles, not military dress, and officers hold no military titles. **Bottom cartoon** ("Business Prospects Brighter") shows an apothecary/undertaker shop, likely satirizing how war profiteers benefit from conflict and death. The page critiques both militarism generally and concerns that youth organizations were becoming militarized—a relevant anxiety during pre-WWI or interwar periods.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CIFE Persons in the Drama (In the Order of Their Appearance) ISS RACE (the woman in the case)—Rather primitive, full of temperament, with inevitable and ineradicable prejudices, but with strong domestic leanings and com- mendable love of home. Monsieur Grerp—Also rather primitive, untouched by culture or Christianity, but with urbane manners acquired hy long experience. Crafty smile. Prehensile fingers. In- nate cruelty. Major Dietomacy—A foxy old gentleman; a mixture of hypocrisy, egotism and selfishness; also a polished liar. Reuter War Lorp—Major Diplomacy’s commanding officer. Repuicut GunMan—An_ assassin. Willing tool of Monsieur Greed, Major Diplomacy and Ruler War Lord. Carries firebrand in cne hand and gun in other, Has frequent blind spells in which he sees red. Mars—A man without a country, once a god, and now an important-looking but superfluous person who wears 2 helmet and is constantly stepping into newspaper cartoons. Mapas Famine—A “rag, a bone and a hank of hair” person who makes it her chief recreation to snatch food from the mouths of those who stay at home. Boy Scouts, Not Wariors AY old friend of Lire objects to our recent characteriza- tion of the Boy Scouts organization “as a breeding place for war germs”. He says: “There is absolutely nothing military connected with our organization. Our uniform was suggested by that of the hunter's and fisherman’s clothes in the United States, the hat is copied after the cowboy’s style, we carry no arms, our whole work and aim is to make efficient, honor- able, straightforward, manly, husky boys and ultimately THOSE WHO REJOICE good citizens. We study woodcraft, campcraft, nature; we stand for conservation, and are opposed to any un- necessary killing of animal or plant life. Our officers have no military titles, and there is nothing of war taught in our work or play.” 3 APOTHECARY § =) ake a NM it ie: =o BUSINESS Se RUPTIONS i Hh | My aaeanaull PROSPECTS BRIGHTER