Life, 1915-09-23 · page 19 of 48
Life — September 23, 1915 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two separate satirical pieces from Life magazine: **Top cartoon**: "Aha! A Real Trained Nurse at Last!" shows a bedridden patient dreaming of a nurse—likely a humorous commentary on wartime nursing shortages or the desire for professional female caregivers. **Bottom story and cartoon**: "A Mixed Assembly" is an allegory where personified economic forces (King Gold, Baron Coal, Madam Wheat) represent industrial/agricultural power. They meet and decide to "let in" three figures arriving in invalid chairs: the Army, Navy, and Merchant Marine—depicted as weakened, dependent entities needing care from the wealthy industries. The satire critiques how American military and commercial interests are sustained by (and subordinate to) industrial and agricultural monopolies. The accompanying cartoon "Choosing the Engagement Ring" shows these same interests as vendors hawking Brazilian diamonds, reinforcing the theme of commercial/military entanglement. The overall point appears to be skepticism about whether these institutions genuinely serve national interests or merely profit from military and trade arrangements.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“AHA! A REAL TRAINED NURSE AT LAST!" A Mixed Assembly "THERE was a meeting of the National Resources. King Gold presided, opening the meeting with a few well-chosen words. “Our object,” said King Gold, “is to get together and mutually inspire each other.” Baron Coal arose. “Madam Wheat and I have just been talking this thing over,” he said. “ You, Mr. President, this lady and myself appear to be all that have shown up, but I understand there are three others outside waiting to get in.” “Are they one of us?” asked King Gold “They want to be, but they haven’t had a show. They’re really little better than half-starved ghosts. I move we let ‘em in and see if they can be cheered up a little by our presence.” “TI second the motion,” said Madam Wheat. Whereupon the door was opened, and in three invalid chairs respectively were wheeled in the Army, the Navy and the Merchant Marine. Np, i BRAZILIAN |) thor } — |, crestor CHOOSING THE ENGAGEMENT RING comicbooks.com