Life, 1915-07-29 · page 14 of 40
Life — July 29, 1915 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main illustration depicts a seesaw/balance beam labeled "NEUTRALITY" at the fulcrum. On one side sits a well-dressed woman (appears to be a personification of "the Neutral"), while on the other side sit several small military figures. The imbalance of the image suggests the cartoon critiques the concept of neutrality itself. The text dialogue below explores this theme philosophically, with characters debating whether true neutrality is possible. One character argues a "pure, unfiled and orthodox Neutral must hold no opinion of any kind whatsoever," while another counters that neutrality is merely a "pseudo-neutrality"—a facade masking hidden bias. This likely references World War I-era American debates about maintaining neutrality versus entering the conflict, suggesting that claimed neutrality was inherently impossible or dishonest.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Sullenly he stood the baby in the snow and took his place in the ranks. The child’s sobs turned to a heartbroken wail. “Forward, march!” commanded the officer, and the company moved away down the road. Wojak looked back and saw the tiny arms stretched out after him while snowflakes settled on the yellow head. Long after the hill- top was hidden in swirling snow he seemed to see them and to hear the wail of the orphaned baby. u ee ee The sun was setting when the army bivouacked four miles from Wojak’s farm. The orders were that no leaves of absence should be granted; but he knew the sentinel on guard, and home s too near to be left unseen for another four months. The stars were glittering from an all but clear sky when he slipped silently through the lines and started down the familiar roads toward Sophy and Stephan, Four months was a terrible length of time. The passage of armies had marked the country. The great tree by the cottage of Ivanovicz had NEUTRALITY been shattered by a shell and had crashed through the roof. Jablonow- ski's barns had been burned. The windows of the church at the corners were shattered and a great hole had been shot in the steeple. Wojak walked faster, ang a twinge of anxiety came over him as he entered the lane that led up to his barnyard. His heart stopped: the thatch of the stable had been burned and only the walls were standing. His eyes strained for a slimpse of the house. It was not there. A few charred beams marked the place where his home had_ stood. He ran nearer, Snow had covered everything. Beside the place where the door had been was a white mound with a stick standing in the earth at its head. To the stick was nailed a little shoe. Wojak seized it with shaking hands. “Stephan!” he choked. Stephan!” After a while he looked up. Loom- ing above him was a man on horseback who had ridden up unheard through the muffling snow. “You are under arrest,” said the voice of the lieutenant. “My little Lo and Behold the Neutral EE the Neutral. Ah, indeed, what a comely Neu- tral it is! What is the Neutral holding? I do not know, but of this we can be sure: it is not an opinion. Why can we be so sure of that? Because, if a Neutral holds an opin- ion, then it is no longer a Neutral, but a Partisan. Is that strictly true? That is strictly true. A pure, unde- filed and orthodox Neutral must hold no opinion of any kind whatsoever. Sometimes an opinion is held, but not acted upon. That gives the impression of neutrality, but in reality it is only a pseudo-neutrality. Do I make it clear? Perfectly clear. the Neutral? No. I detest the Neutral. A Neu- tral is the ignoblest work of God. And do you love AUD: itous? BEATRIX: bluff. Were her actions precip- Yes, she put up a great comicbooks.com