Life, 1915-03-18 · page 10 of 40
Life — March 18, 1915 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical page from *Life* magazine addresses American unity during what appears to be World War I. The top sketch depicts an elderly German (identifiable by the Prussian-style helmet and exaggerated features) clutching money and dead birds—likely symbolizing Germany's predatory conduct and economic exploitation. The text discusses Herman Ridder's argument that Americans should present a united front against foreign threats, specifically Germany. The "Let Ignorance Prevail!" section satirizes Alabama's censorship laws prohibiting publication sales based on advertising content. The bottom illustration titled "His Candy: A First Lesson in Girls" shows a boy offering candy to a girl—likely an ironic commentary on German attempts to win American sympathy or support through manipulation, depicted as seduction of the naive.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
{JOP AE, * woo ANY _% “A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH” Spring Song in B OUNTIFUL buds, bring back beautiful blossoms !— Bid babbling brooks, brightly beaming, behold! Bring butterfly brilliance, black beetle-bugs buzzing, Brisk balm-bearing breezes, big bumblebees bold! Bountiful buds, bring but blessed bonanzas! Baffle bad butchers! Ban beggardly blues! Bring boastful birds,—but beset barking bow-wows! Bid baneful bills but became billets-doux Prentice Abbot. Considering All Mankind - GREAT nation of culture like the German,” declares Professor Rudolf Eucken, philosopher, “ must not fail to realize that it can not rise to its predestined pinnacle without considering all mankind, without devoting its efforts to all mankind.” The trouble is that mankind is not sufficiently apprecia- tive of Germany's noble aims. We are too modest, shy and intractable. Germany would be glad to treat all of us as she treated Belgium if we would only hold still like good children. E Pluribus Unum Goee friend Herman Ridder still says “we” when speaking of Americans. He says “We are a people united against foreign intimidation or interference", and that the man who, like Count von Reventlow, “thinks that all the people in the United States would not present a united front to a foreign foe is lamentably mistaken”. To be sure. People who quake at the report that we have in our family three hundred thousand Germans (or some such number) trained to war ought not to quake, but to be thankful that we have some trained citizens in stock. Whoever we had to fight, we could use our Ger- Herman is right. Talking and fighting are differ- ent affairs. We talk apart, and that is proper. We should fight united, for that would be necessary. mans. Let Ignorance Prevail ! LABAMA is the most illiterate State in the Union In Alabama a law has just gone into effect which prohibits the sale of practically all publications because they carry certain lines of advertising. Vive VIgnorance! HIS CANDY A FIRST LESSON IN GIRLS