Life, 1915-07-08 · page 39 of 44
Life — July 8, 1915 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a 1913 article by Norman Angell (author of *The Great Illusion*) predicting that major European powers—particularly Germany—would *not* go to war, arguing they had peacefully coexisted for decades and possessed too much to lose militarily. **The satire**: Life reprints this "prophetic" prediction in 1915, after World War I had erupted in 1914. The implicit joke is devastating: Angell's confident prediction of peace had been spectacularly wrong within months. Germany, supposedly the least warlike nation, had invaded Belgium and France. This is Life magazine's sardonic commentary on how completely unforeseen the Great War had been and how badly informed observers had misjudged European stability. The page's other advertisements are unrelated product marketing typical of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Prophetic As a prophet Lire modestly admits that he sometimes makes mistakes, but certainly nobody but the most con- tumelious critic would find fault with the following prediction, which is re- printed herewith from the War Number of Lire, October 3, 1913. From Norman Angell (Author of “ The Great Illusion.”) If by “Universal Peace Among the Leading Powers of the World” you mean the cessation of military conflict between powers like France and Ger- many, or Germany and England, or Russia and Germany, that has come already. The nation which we have all been taught to regard as the most military in the world—Germany—has not gone to war, real war, for over forty years, and it has been visible to all who have eyes to see during the last six months that, far from these great nations being ready to fly at one another’s throats, notbing will induce them to take the immense risks of using their preposterous military instruments if they can possibly avoid it. All the military wiseacres Yo Rastine Autor weighs only 4'% Tbs. -so light and small you can tuck itin your Ge any lace. tat thiss When you want a tow sline Autowline takes held and " its Patented Srafle Hooks till She job is done, . lade of world’ famous Yellow Strand tel Wire Rope—about 25 feet long, in diameter, $4 Ibs. in weight—a size, a giant in strength. sist on Hasline Autowline with the Pateoted Snaile Hooks. Of all dealers. Pace. east of the Rockies, $3.9. POWERSTEEL TRUCKLINE is the brother” of Hasline Autowline. Extra sroeg for heavy truck towing. Price, east of Rockies, $6.51. TE Jer cannot spply you, order of us. direct . REE. | Illustrated circulars. Write for them. BRODERICK & BASCOM ROPECO, wn 5. 24 St. i Meters of J. ‘ellow Strand Powersteet AUTOWLINE THE TRUTH about the Bible. Tersely told inthe “Review of The Bibles.” An arsenal of facts and Scriptural teferences that will floor the parson the first round. A rational redoubt of reason that is revolutionizing teligious ideas. . Postpaid 25c. D. R. COUGHLIN, CONCORDIA, KANS. BUNGALOW BUILDING? copyright 1014 me Republee abbot Co Youngstown, O- Republics on your car harness 264 tires to each —says Old Man Mileage “The studs of the Republic Staggard Tread may be compared to a continuous chain of tires, “Bach stud is built much like a little solid-rubber tire. Eachis long, tough, extremely durable, wonderfully resilient. “‘Figured on average tire sizes, two hundred and sixty- four of these miniature tires encompass each wheel! “Yet, though vise-like in their tenacity, they offer per- fect traction and a smooth, even-running surface—because they are ‘staggard’ each little tire overlapping the other on the road, “This superior tread plus QUALITY of material and avorkmanship, makes the Republic Staggard Tread Tire the world’s greatest non-skid mileage-maker,"* Write for “Old Man Mileage—His Book.** ‘The Republic Rubber Co., Youngstown, O. Branches and Agencies in the Principal Cities REPUBLIC TIRES PLAIN, “WM" AND STAgGaRp TREADS TRADE MARK REGISTERED U.S. PATENT OF FICE, Repudlte, Sta 7 ogard Pat, Sept. 15.22, 108, prophesied the Armageddon apropos of the break-up of Turkey. We are told that the conflicts which would arise would ‘inevitably throw the great powers at one another, Yet e imaginable situation of high politics has been created and every imaginable interest touched during the course of the Balkan trouble, and the more dangerous the situation got the less was the disposition that other nations or governments showed to war, But the preparations will probably increase. Armed Europe is at present engaged in spending most of its time and en- ergy rehearsing a performance which all concerned know is never likely to come off, The rehearsal may go on for a very long time, because it is very difficult to forecast the limit of human folly. NorMAn ANGELL, Loxposx, ENGLAND, July 2y, 1913.