Life — September 16, 1915 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Interned" - Life Magazine, September 16, 1915 This cartoon satirizes the internment of aliens during World War I. The illustration depicts a well-dressed man and woman being "interned"—confined or restricted—while a small dog observes. The title "Interned" appears below. In 1915, the U.S. remained officially neutral but tensions were high. The cartoon likely mocks the treatment of foreign nationals, particularly Germans and Austro-Hungarians, who faced suspicion and restrictions. The couple's formal attire suggests they were respectable citizens, yet they're being confined like the small dog at their feet—suggesting the indignity and absurdity of treating civilians as potential enemies based solely on national origin. The satire critiques both wartime hysteria and the loss of freedoms for innocent people.