Life, 1914-12-31 · page 16 of 41
Life — December 31, 1914 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces from wartime America: **"Needless Alarm"** mocks the Federal Reserve Board's worry that American securities held abroad might be returned due to the war. The article argues such concerns are overblown—a sale is final; buyers have no obligation to resell back. **The Kaiser's "New Year's Thought"** is a biting political cartoon. It presents a mock ledger from Kaiser Wilhelm II to the German people, listing what Germany has "spent" on war: sons, husbands, fathers, brothers, civilization's respect, world sympathy, and the Fatherland's honor—with only "Germany's National Birthright" remaining. The satire condemns the massive human and moral cost of World War I. **"Not a Serious Blow"** sarcastically dismisses news that Dr. Friedman's tuberculosis "cure" using turtle serum was debunked, suggesting there are always more animals and desperate patients for medical charlatans to exploit. **"Calling the Ferryman"** (illustration) shows a figure asking someone to tell his wife not to wait up—an ominous reference to death.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Needless Alarm RECENT circular of the Federal Reserve Board bids us worry lest, on account of the war, “a large quantity of American securities held abroad may be re- turned to the United States”. Let the Board be composed. On all securities held abroad the transaction is closed. No public or private person on this side of the water is under any obligation, expressed or implied, to buy them back, either now or any other time. Such a thing is unheard of. A sale is a sale. Caveat emptor applies to securities as much as to anything else. If not, let the Reserve Board turn its attention to tons of gold-mine stock and other securities here at home which many of us have bought expecting big profits, and which, our expectations not having been realized, we should like to “return”, In any case, let the Reserve Board go a little slowly and not try to save the whole world at once. Benun_danvery 4 19/5. bis Imperiat Malesty KAIsERWiHELM IN Kine or PRuSSI Asano EMPEROR oF GERMANY. TeTHe GERMAN PEOPLE , OR, Tobate| Sons ig sea,o00| [Husbonde ___(ceogeve | | 00,000 Vategrity ; F) 0 te evo = =5| is ea ee [Ccvitizations [Respecd | |TheWorld’s Kympathy | [TheFatherlende | Hener|- | ae | | fea arta Qype ye : mr Aardsma mAs | a Tota Ger penis tonal ight. w Years Thought for The German People. a Fs CALLING THE FERRYMAN Not a Serious Blow OBODY need feel inconsolable over the government’s report that the famous Friedman turtle-serum “ cure” for tuberculosis has been officially pronounced worthless. We must remember that there are still many birds, beasts and reptiles in the Zoo, offering unlimited opportunities for serum-quacks to pursue their hocus-pocus and to be interviewed at great length by serum-loving newspapers to the end that the minds of sufferers may be filled with unwarranted hope and their bodies with poison. New York Times and other devout serum advocates please copy in as conspicuous places as their original dis- play of Dr. Friedman’s wonderful discovery. The Victin 1 SAY, OLD CHAP, WOULD YOU MIND "PHONING MY WIFE AND TELLING HER NOT 10 SIT UP FOR ME? comicbooks.com