Life, 1915-07-15 · page 11 of 48
Life — July 15, 1915 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents a satirical dialogue between a father and son about preventing war. The main cartoon depicts a domestic scene where a child asks "Who is there, dear?" and the mother replies "Almost nobody, Mother." The accompanying text is a philosophical debate: the son asks if war can be prevented, and the father explains various institutional attempts—diplomacy, churches, religion teaching brotherhood, and "secular peace societies." Yet each solution fails because "men go to war just the same." The satire's point: despite elaborate intellectual and religious frameworks designed to prevent conflict, they remain ineffective. The cartoon's casual domestic setting underscores the disconnect between lofty peacetime ideals and war's persistent reality. A quote by Elis O. Jones reinforces this cynicism about humanity's inability to transcend warfare regardless of theory or practice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“WHO IS THERE, DEAR?” “ALMOST NOBODY, MOTHER.” The Uniqueness of War “D°? you believe in war, father?” “No, my son. Emphatically no. Nobody believes in war. War is too destructive and too horrible for any- body to believe in.” “Then why aren't there ways to prevent it?” “There are, my son, As a matter of fact, we have a number of very excellent contrivances which are cleverly designed to prevent war. For instance, there are the diplomats who are supposed to be extraordinarily adept at talking things over and coming to amicable understandings.” “But they don’t succeed, father.” “No; and so we have to back them up with mighty murderous armaments which will make nations afraid of each other and prevent war.” “But they don't succeed, father.” “No; and accordingly we make treaties between nations. These trea- ties solemnly pledge undying friend- ship and provide for an arbitration of all issues without resort to trigger- pulling.” “But they don’t succeed in prevent- ing war, father.” “No, my son, and that's why we have churches and a religion which emphatically teaches the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, and which loudly proclaims peace on earth, good will toward men.” “But men go to war just the same, father.” “That is true, my son, and that’s why we have to supplement our churches and our religion with secular peace societies which analyze the dis- advantages of war from every possible standpoint.” “But all these wonderful things put together seem to be ineffective in staving off war, father. Why is it?” “T can't tell you, my son, unless it is that war is the one field of human activity in which theory and practice are entirely independent of each Ellis O. Jones. RASSHOPPERS FOR YOURS TRULY HEREAFTER”