Life — October 28, 1915 — page 34: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Where Is Romance > Dear Lire: Though not a murderer or policeman, I take Lire every week and think it a most quixotic affair. For this reason I am asking you to devise some way to find if Romance is dead. By Romance I mean love of adventure, that which makes bank clerks and ribbon clerks quit their jobs in spring; which caused Chris- topher Columbus to dream of a spherical world and pushed him on to prove his ideas; which made Napoleon dream of a world empire and create one; which sustains martyrs—the something which pushed Cromwell on, but which he could never complete. Of course I realize that it takes the hour as well as the man to get these things. Peary and Cook were romanticists, as well as other explorers. But what I want to know is how much of this spirit really exists in Young America. Are we a phlegmatic race, bound by conventions and afraid of new things, or are we for the most part strong, fearless and free? Lire, if you can devise some way of finding this out I'll show you I'm a real sport and buy all of the twenty-five-cent copies you publish; and, believe me, that is some sport, especially if one reads tnem, Wishing you success in this search, I am, Respectfully, W. A.W. Crevetann, O., September 6, 1915. A Letter from France Monsieur: J'ai bien regu votre numéro du “ Life,” intitulé Vive la France. J'en ai ad- miré la forme, comme le fond, et tiens 4 vous en féliciter trés chaudement. Par les heures sublimes, mais aussi effroyables, que nous vivons, il est récon- fortant de sentir la sympathie du reste du monde. Oui, vous avez raison de dire que le Frangais a confiance, car du généralisme jusqu’ a son dernier soldat, nous savons tous qu'il faut vaincre: et nous vaincrons. Croyez, Monsieur, 4 tous mes meilleurs sentiments, E. Joannis. France, ter Aout, 1915. All Patriots in France From a letter written. by M, Antoine Grille, of St. Just. M. Grille is in charge of a factory mak- ing alcohol which is used in the manufacture of ammunition, St. Just, 17-15. I am again here alone, always at work on raw material for powder. I assure you that when I see the English miners going off on strike I am stupefied. Since the first of January my men have had not only not one day of leave, but not so much as gne hour. They are working twelve hours by dey or twelve hours by night—excepting at the change of shift. At this change of shift they do eighteen hours, and night work at that. And not one word, not a murmur. And it will be like that as long as the war lasts— Our village has been hard hit lately and many of my workmen have been killed. It is harvest time, and the work is being done; the women work a great deal in the fields. children also. Life goes on, and, looking at the countryside, one would not believe that there is war with all its atrocities a few hours off by rail. An Old Friend Comes Back To tHe Epitor or Lire, Sir: Some time ago I very reluctantly dis- continued my subscription to Lire for the reason that I could not with equanim- ity bear what seemed the injustice with which it treated the work of my profes- sion in the interests of humanity and the similar injustice which it had long shown toward Colonel Roosevelt’s labors to the same end. I am writing now to say that I shall summon to my aid all the philosophy I can make available to enable me to en- dure this in the future, but that Lire’s work on behalf of the same interests, jeopardized by Germany's brutal attack on civilization itself, has been so splen- did, so unremitting and so effective, both here and abroad, that it is entitled to the appreciative thanks of every American who cares for the honor, the dignity and the prestige of his country. The edi- torials, the cartoons, the verses. the hu- morous and amusing but scathing and remorseless exposures of German cruel- ties, falsehoods, impertinences and breaches of international law and morals have been a force for good that it is impossible to overestimate. Lire may now and henceforth feel that what must have been the almost un- bearable burden of my disapprobation has been lifted, and that it may joyously pro- ceed to prove us to be ignorant quacks, and the Colonel a pseudo-patriotic im- postor, without a further word of protest from me. I shall always be its grateful debtor and enthusiastic admirer. In testimony of which I beg to enclose my check, with the humble request that I be restored to the subscription list as soon as possible. Yours very truly. J. Wintiase Wire, Puitaverenta, Pa., September 8, 1915 A Frenchman in America To tHe Epitor oF Lire: T want to tell you to what extent the Frenchmen of America appreciate the manner in which Lire, since the begin- ning of the war, has fought for the Allies. It was right that the cleverest maga- zine of America should lift up its voice in favor of truth and remind a somewhat forgetful public of the crimes of certain nations and of the real duty of neutrality. Neutrality does not impose silence or resignation in the face of misdeeds. This is what Lire has understood, and is, I regret to say, what the American government has not understood. With- out taking up arms the United States might have officially and openly con- demned crime. It is not sufficient to succor the victim of an outrage—one must also have the courage to denounce the author. T have picked up here all the copies of the “Vive la France” Number of Lire that I could find to send them to Paris. Some of them even found their way to the trenches. They proved that in Amer- ica, if there are immigrants of recent date, there are also the descendants of those whom our ancestors loved, and for whose liberty they came and gave their lives. Very sincerely yours, AGL San Franctsco, Cat, August 9, 1915. are | comicbooks.com