Life, 1914-12-24 · page 22 of 40
Life — December 24, 1914 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes American attitudes during World War I (the "war which is going on among you"). The main cartoon features "Uncle Sam" (personified America, shown as the figure marked with the dollar sign) writing to European powers complaining that their war is costing *him* money—losses in loans, closed industries, and forced economizing—despite his claimed neutrality. The satire is sharp: Uncle Sam professes emotional sympathy for European suffering while his actual grievance centers entirely on lost profits. He claims willingness to help ("chipping in with clothes and doctors") but obsesses over lost dollars, revealing American commercial priorities. The accompanying dialogue snippets and cartoon vignettes mock wartime social pretense and materialism. This reflects pre-1917 American neutrality debates and criticisms of American financial interests profiting from or being disrupted by European conflict—a common satirical target in Life magazine during this period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SPEND AND TIE WORLD SPENDS WITIE YOU An Open Letter to the Powers At THE $iGN or THE Dottar, U. $. A., The Nations of Europe, Dear Sirs: EFERRING to the war which is going on among you, I desire to call your attention to the fact that I am losing a few dollars by it. I don’t suppose you fully realized this when you started the trouble. Under these circumstances, it is a matter of great regret to me that you should continue this appalling conflict. I call your attention to the fact that 1 am— ahem!—strictly neutral, and that I have taken no actual part in the disturbance. Yet I have been placed at great inconvenience. I have had to call in some loans, close down some important industries, and have been forced to economize in many ways, and just at the time when, as a result of my own efforts, I ought to be enjoying myself. I put it to you. Is this right? Is it not the height of injustice that I should be made to suffer by the loss of my dollars for something of which I am entirely innocent? My feelings have also been considerably harrowed hy the terrible suffering, and the dreadful spectacle of brother fighting brother, constantly before my eyes. This in itself has a strong tendency to keep me unfit for business, and I assure you, my friends, that when I am unfit for busi- ness I am utterly miserable. Now, don’t think for a mo- ment that I mind chipping in and helping you with clothes and doctors and nurses and a purse or so. That's O. K. I'm always more than willing to help a fellow in distress. No, I don’t mean that—wouldn’t have you even think it. But these dollars! It isn’t just to deprive me of them just because you want to change your map. Every purely commercial instinct in me—and I'm chock full of ‘em— vibrates at the thought. I'm losing a little money and all on your account. This isn't square. It isn’t reasonable. Think of it! I’m losing a few dollars and all on your account. fincerely yours, Uncte $a. BEG AND YOU BEG ALONE Remarks At a Family Chrisimas Dinner-Party. “LJOW much he does look like his mother!” “I'm afraid there’s something the matter with you—why, you don’t eat any more than a bird.” “Now, how much do you think that turkey weighs?” “You don't expect me to eat all that!” “Ha, ha! That's right, sonny.” “TM take both pumpkin and mince.’ “ And to think Abbie made that dress herself! I can’t get over it!” Another Luxury AYTON: We hear a great deal lately about the high cost of living, and loving. Parker: Yes, and the high cost of loafing ought not to be sneezed at, cither, IRST MAGNATE Seconp MacNnate: of value. I'll match you for railroads. Oh, let’s match for something FOR SERVICES RENDERED comicbooks.com