Life, 1915-01-21 · page 40 of 44
Life — January 21, 1915 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"A Safety Valve" Editorial:** This is satirical commentary on American anxiety about foreign ownership of railroad securities. The piece mocks fears that foreign investment might somehow threaten American power and independence. The satirist argues that *allowing* foreign investors to profit from American railroads is actually prudent—it prevents America from becoming so wealthy and arrogant that it becomes insufferable to live with. The tone is ironic: the "safety valve" is deliberately keeping some economic power abroad to temper American self-importance. **"Always?" Illustration:** This appears to be an advertisement or story excerpt for Robert W. Chambers' novel "Athalie." The image shows a woman at a desk in profile, seemingly in thought or correspondence. The text suggests a romantic plot involving a man and woman separated by "law and convention"—likely a socially forbidden relationship. The illustration uses period melodramatic styling typical of early-20th-century serialized fiction. The page is primarily **advertising and serialized fiction content** rather than political satire, with the editorial serving as filler material between advertisements.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Safety Valve HEY tell us that about one-fifth of our railroad securities are owned abroad. This ought to encourage us not a little, True, we are a world-power, but even a world-power shouldn't be too powerful. If we should get the idea that we were wealthy enough and powerful enough to own our own railroads, so that, when war came, foreign investors would not want to sell us our securities at prices which were so attractive as to fill us all with panic and upset the financial writers so that they were more obfuscated than usual, there is no knowing what might be the result. It might make us so arrogant and purse-proud and power-proud that it would be impossible to live in the same country with ourselves. TH direc think times know Whe you area drink The Curious Deliverance of ask | Professor Terry (Continued from page 116.) ity undertake to meddle with us. If we thought our capacity for self-defense was likely to be put to the test, we would arm to the eyebrows without an instant of delay. We have given the world all the example of forbear- ance that it needs in our dealings with Mexico, and some time since with Cuba. There is nothing in the idea that by keeping up, and even strength- OCosmopolitan ening a little, our moderate navy and little skeleton army we are losing the opportunity of a lifetime to demon- Alw a S ? strate to an admiring world the blissful © safety of helplessness. Thus, without thought of what the Be SeMartin. future may bring we promise—and forget. RAWFORD: What makes you think this car I bought is no good? Cransnaw: Some burglars used ene in trying to make a getaway and the New York police managed to catch them. But Athalie knew. Though an impassable barrier stood between this man and herself, though law and convention forbade their marriage, she knew, by a strange gift of vision that had been hers since birth, that she was his—always. But even to her keen sight the tragedy of the future was not revealed —and that is the story. “Athalie,’” Robert W. Chambers’ New Novel Ls os ee = is at once the most unusual and most fascinating story that has yet come ie S E xX O L oO G Y “sey from this master-novelist. The illustrations are by Frank Craig, best = 2 known for his remarkable drawings for Hall Caine’s “The Woman : by Willen 4. Walling, Au. MD. ‘Thou Cavest Ma” ’: parts ina clear wholesom jou ives! ec. DEX way, in one Mail the coupon opposite with a quarter and we will send you Cosmo- politan Magazine for three months. This is a saving of 44%. Fill in, tear off and mail today. Cosmopolitan Magazine 119 West 40th Street New York City FS ‘Write for “Other People’s Opinions"* and Tanle of Contents, ————aEE = - v PURITAN PUB. CO., 797 PERRY BLDG. PHILA.. PA_ comichooks.dom