Life, 1915-01-21 · page 16 of 44
Life — January 21, 1915 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains political satire from the World War I era (likely 1914-1917, before U.S. entry). The main cartoon depicts two men in working-class dress with exaggerated immigrant features, speaking broken English about con artistry—a commentary on urban crime and immigrant communities. The accompanying editorial "Let Us Neutrals Get Together" argues that the United States should form military alliances with neutral nations like Belgium, Switzerland, and Denmark for mutual protection. It references Belgium's fate as a cautionary tale: despite being neutral, Belgium was invaded and devastated during WWI. The author contends that American neutrality is insufficient; the nation needs "warlike" allies to deter aggression across its ocean and land borders. The piece advocates abandoning strict neutrality in favor of strategic partnerships with militarily competent nations—a hawkish position urging preparedness and collective security before America's formal 1917 entry into the war.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Toren offen “BUT I NO SPIK 2E “T1's A CINCH, KID. NGLISH GOoT”” YOU STICK AROUND ME, AND I'LL SOON PUT YOU WISE TO THE RIGHT DOPE” Let Us Neutrals Get Together C 'T we somehow ? Remember, Belgium was a neutral, not allied with anybody, not on quar- relsome terms with anybody, and with no interest in war except to keep out of it. See what has happened to neutrals get together, her as a consequence of her detach- ment. And here, look at us States; a large, orphaned family, some of us still very young, exposed to pirates on two wet sides one thousand to two thousand miles long, and to dry attacks across four or five thousand miles of border. Nobody to help us; and we a pacific people, infested with pacificists and no lug exterminator in the house. Evidently our lay is to get in promptly with some warlike peoples, who have not ships enough to come here in force unless expressly invited, and who are competent on occasion to furnish the necessary element of pep- per to our national disposition With Belgium, for example, an al- liance would be grand for us, and possibly with Switzerland, Holland and Denmark. Also Finland, if she can fix it so that she can ke engagement. > an And now is the time to perfect these protective measures, especially with Belgium. We are try- ing to be useful to her already, but our sympathies far outrun the most that we can do under present circum. stances and on the basis of With a with Belgium, providing that we guarantec Present relations. new treaty the integrity of her boundaries and that she guarantees the integrity of ours, we would be ina position to take a more urgent interest in her concerns. Can not our legislative and adminis- trative representatives at) Washington arrange this matter for us, and promptly, so that present apprehen- sions may be mitigated and we may feel that we have somewhere depend- able friends? E.S. M. New York IPS, slush, dust, noise, tips, glare. slums, clubs (university, society and police), lifts, tickers, waiters, per- oxides, opaque hose, avenues, tips, “ads”, wheels, transfers, girls, tips, “bargains”, autos, headlines, bells, horns, tips, slush, dust, noise, etc. HER HALOS comichooks.