Life, 1914-10-22 · page 18 of 44
Life — October 22, 1914 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several distinct satirical pieces, likely from World War I era: **"When Things Are Reversed"**: A fantasy where dogs council to muzzle humans for their dangerous behavior—inverting the usual power dynamic to mock human irrationality and violence. **"The Bomb-droppers"**: A dark satire of aerial warfare. Pilots casually compare destruction tallies (churches, hospitals, Red Cross tents), treating mass killing as sport. The phrase "thirty pfennigs" (German currency) suggests this mocks WWI bombing campaigns, presenting aviators as detached from the human cost of their actions. **"A Wrong Diagnosis"**: Critiques President Charles W. Eliot's statement that Christianity hasn't prevented war. The author argues Christianity was never intended to stop war—only to console victims—sarcastically exposing the inadequacy of religious consolation against systematic violence. **"Political Boss"** and other brief items provide lighter social satire about corruption and class distinctions. The overarching theme: modern warfare and social institutions fail moral obligations to humanity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LF E~ When Things Are Reversed 'HE council of dogs, presided over by the Great Dane, having met, it was solemnly voted to have all the human beings muzzled. In presenting the resolution a Scotch Collie, distin- guished for his eloquence, said: “That our lives have constantly been menaced by the bites of human beings has long been known. Both men and women are now permitted to roam the streets at will. They are constantly losing their tempers. Can we afford to take chances? Never!” The ordinance thereupon went into effect. Every man, woman and child was immediately muzzled. The Bomb-droppers “VYJELL, old chap, what luck to-day?” “Nothing but a couple of churches and a peasant’s barn, What did you get?” “Me? Oh, I had a great day. I blew up a college, a library, a cathedral, three hospitals and a tent of Red Cross nurses.” “Bully for you, old chap! You always make the rest of us look like thirty pfennigs.” DOLL, SOT W. You TO FoRGI “'b FEEL MORE LIKE FORGIVIN’ HIM, MOTHER, IF 1 COULD SWAT HIM ONE First” : EWARE of the man who boasts of his family. He would boast of himself if he had anything to —— boast of, A Wroag Diagnosis Christianity in nineteen centuries has afforded no relief. HIS is the opinion of President Emeritus Charles W. ot on war, in a letter in the New York Times. Christianity should not be blamed for this. Christianity has never made any pretense to stop war. Its adherents have fought and bled steadily ever since it came into existence. It has given birth to wars, has often encour- aged war, has prayed for war. Christianity is not, nor ever has been, intended for this purpose. Its chief func- tion is to furnish consolation to the afflicted and not to furnish any practical measures whereby they may be relieved from their afflictions. OLITICAL BC —A ticket speculator outside of the ballot-box office Van “ONE QUESTION, PLEASE.” . “wotat 1s 17? * “ARE VOU THE JANITOR OR MERELY TIE OWNER OF THE PRoP- “SAFETY FIRST” comicbooks.com