Life, 1915-10-28 · page 16 of 52
Life — October 28, 1915 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces from *Life* magazine's post-WWI period. **"Up Against It"** attacks Germany's international isolation and hypocrisy. The article mocks the idea that Kaiser Wilhelm II shed tears over French atrocities—sarcastically suggesting Germans are emotionally capable of crocodile tears. It then cites George Bernard Shaw's warning to American banks against dealing with German firms, using this to illustrate Germany's predicament: having alienated the world through documented brutality (robbery, lying, espionage) "since August, 1914" (war's start), Germany now has no friends except Germans themselves. The satire's point: Germany's own wartime conduct has destroyed its postwar business prospects and diplomatic relationships. **"Learning It"** is a domestic humor cartoon about marriage. An older married couple offers newlyweds the cynical advice that husbands are "contrary creatures," illustrated by the wife's complaint that her husband dislikes the foods she cooks despite her preparing his favorites. The bottom caption reveals their marital strategy: annually entertaining people they "almost married"—implying this nostalgic fantasy maintains their marriage's contentment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
796 “LIFE: Up Against It The Kaiser shedding tears over France, decadent and doomed because guilty of atrocities in war, ought to be commemorated in art. —The Evening Post. ES, yes, if he did. And perhaps he did, for the German mind is capable, with all the capacities of the tradi- tional brass monkey. For example, hear one George Bernhard in the Vossische Zeitung warn off the American banks with German con- nections that have participated in the Anglo-French war loan. No dealings, he says, with such banks during the war- time, and if possible no dealings after the war. We cannot endure any half-way measures in the future. He who is not for us is against us, and he who in his heart is against us must do business elsewhere than in Germany. Stars above! And where does Germany expect to do business? With her friends? Where are they? Outside of Germany where has she any friends left except some scattered Germans? Not anywhere on earth are there left true lovers of Germany, except they are German-born, intermarried with Germans, or somehow inoculated with the German virus. That is the worst of the German predicament. The German char- acteristics that have most obtruded on the world’s atten- tion since August, 1914, have been the characteristics of the robber, the marauder, the liar and the spy. The Ger- mans who are not in Germany must be well aware that the question for Germans is not whom they shall favor after the war, but who on earth can be found to favor them. N matters of war it seems that monarchies rush in where democracies fear to tread. CAUGHT WITH THE Coops Learning It 1E Otp Marriep One: men are most contrary creatures. You will learn, my dear, that Tite Younc Marriep ON Tur Oto Marriep One: Indeed? Tue Younc Marriep OnE: Yes; I cook things my hus- band likes and yet he doesn’t like the things I cook. Oh, I know that already. DEVICE OF A MIDDLE-AGED COUPLE TO INSURE CONTINUED CONTENTMENT ONCE A YEAR THEY ENTERTAIN THE INDIVIDUALS WHOM THEY ALMOST MARRIED