Life — August 12, 1915 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1915 satirical cartoon titled "Peace: His Monomania" depicts a caricatured figure obsessed with peace during wartime. The figure is surrounded by handwritten text on walls representing competing demands: "Meteor" (military spending), "U.S. Navy," "U.S. Army," "No Danger to Me," and "Peace at Any Price" — the last phrase appearing most prominently. The cartoon critiques what appears to be President Woodrow Wilson's pacifist stance during World War I. While European conflict raged and American military interests pressed for preparedness, Wilson's administration initially maintained neutrality and pursued peace negotiations. The exaggerated caricature suggests this peace advocacy bordered on obsessive monomania, out of touch with practical military and economic realities clamoring for American attention and resources.