Life, 1915-06-24 · page 31 of 45
Life — June 24, 1915 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes British military vaccination policy during World War I. The top illustration shows a romantic proposal scene ("Man Proposes—Woman Disposes"), contrasting with the article's ironic title. The article criticizes the British Army's coercive vaccination practices. Though soldiers could legally refuse vaccines, the military created what Life calls "non-compulsory compulsion"—refusing vaccination meant losing privileges (furlough, leave from trenches) while compliant soldiers received extended time off. Life attacks this as deceptive: soldiers enlisted believing vaccination was optional, then faced de facto mandatory medical procedures. The satire argues this forced thousands into unwilling vaccination while others endured trench duty as punishment for refusing. The "false pretense" is the Army's claim that vaccination remained voluntary when refusing it carried severe consequences. The piece criticizes both military dishonesty and what it calls the "hostile superstition" of mandatory medical treatment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
on == Any TAR Dene.) DELIGHTFULLY angelic bit of humbug is being practiced upon British soldiers. Under the law they are not required to admit poisonous vaccines and serums into their sys- tems unless they are willing. Many thousands of them were not will- ing, and enlisted with that under- standing. Thereupon that army they found MAN PROPOSES—WOMAN DISPOSES False Pretenses officers had invented a sort of non- compulsory compulsion. Unless a soldier allows himself to be squirted fall of impurities he has his privileges taken away. Thus the enlightened soldier has to stay continuously in the vile trenches, while his brother who meekly submits is allowed many days off and occasionally an extended furlough, This plan has forced many thousands of soldiers into the clutches of the serumites, but there are many others who are staunchly holding out, and during their weary imprison- ment in the trenches are pondering on the beauties of having to fight both a hostile army in front’ of them and a hostile superstition be- hind them, BuO. Ccomicbooks.com