Life — October 29, 1914 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 745 **"The Blatant Mr. Ridder"** – This is a critical editorial about Herman Ridder, editor of the *New York Staats-Zeitung*, a German-language newspaper. The article accuses Ridder of using his publication to defend Germany and argue that "Germany is right and everybody else is wrong." The satire attacks Ridder's recent defense of Germany's bombardment of Rheims Cathedral during World War I. The editors argue this constitutes support for destroying cultural heritage and represents a "crime" worse than the cathedral's destruction itself. The cartoons (showing demonic and mischievous figures) mock Ridder as spreader of German propaganda on American soil during the war. The adjacent Sunset Limited train advertisement appears unrelated.