Life, 1915-12-02 · page 17 of 100
Life — December 2, 1915 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct elements: **The Cartoon (top left):** A wartime spy joke. An officer arrests a suspected spy who claims total ignorance about the war. The humor lies in the suspect's deadpan response—he says he couldn't know *less* about the war even if he were an actual war expert, implying that war experts themselves know nothing useful. This is satirical commentary on WWI military incompetence, a common Life magazine theme. **Advertisements:** A cigarette humidor ad and investment bonds promoting Anglo-French Gold Bonds (likely WWI-era war financing). These financial instruments appear designed to attract American investors to support the Allied cause. **Literary Letter:** A tongue-in-cheek financial-market parody treating literature like the stock market—short stories "dumped," war-baby novels "rising," theology remaining "dull." It's satirical commentary on commercialization of publishing and wartime literary trends. The page reflects WWI-era American satirical humor mixed with period advertising.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A COMPOSITE PORTRAIT OF MABEL'S MISTLETOE EXPERIENCES FFICER (to man arrested as a spy): You say you don’t know anything about the war? Suspect: Honest, I couldn't know less abcut it 1f I were a war expert. 5 Gift for Smokers By You can present with pride this beautiful Opal B humidor, filled with 100 HERBERT TAREYTON LONDON. CIGARETTES Price $1.25, packed for mailing. It your dealer cannot supply you, send us his name PY end $1.25, and we will see that you are supplied. FALK TOBACCO CO. Anglo-French Gold Bonds Yielding an Income of Nearly 5% % On Your Investment . These bonds are the joint and several obligation of the Security governments of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Republic of France. The ultimate security is the whole taxing power of the British and French governments and the financial morality of the British and French peoples. Over one half of the issue of $500,000,000 was withdrawn for investment by members of the purchasing group. The balance is offered at 98 and interest, yielding an income of nearly 514%. British Consols and French Rentes have usually sold in normal times at prices to yield only 244% to 3%%. Income Conversion In addition to the income of nearly 54%, each Can bond carries with it a special privilege entitling Privilege the holder, if he does not desire to have his bond redeemed at par, to exchange it at or before maturity—which is five years from date—for a 4% bond of the two governments, which will run until 1940, but redeemable at the option of the govern- ments on and after October 15, 1930. Based on the yield of British Consols and French Rentes in past years, such a bond would have sold below 110 in only three years of the eighty years prior to the beginning of the present war and would have sold during this period as high as 126. Convenience The bonds are tssued in convenient denominations of $100, $500 and $1000, and in coupon and registered form, offering equal opportunity and return to all clas: investors. To offer a convenient market for their subse or sale, they will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Their value, as a basis for loans, is already well established among the banks of the country. Interest Payable October 15 and April 15 Make Application to any Bank, Trust Company, Bond Dealer or Broker Our Weekly Literary Letter HE literary market opened up feverish, the eugenics having pushed the reserves down, and exchange with foreign authors fell off during the first hour. At eleven o'clock a large block of short stories was dumped on the market, causing a semi- panic. Many failures were announced, seats in the Authors’ Exchange falling to their lowest figures in years. Essays were soft, and a member of a leading house said, “ There is nothing in them.” War-baby novels had a considerable rise in the early afternoon, but a group of wild-cat best sellers caused havoc, being freely offered, with no takers. A large pool was formed with sea tales. Periodicals, including all magazines, were sold mostly on the curb, being largely given away. The better class of jokes ruled steady. Several historical specialties were firm, being sold as fiction. Theology, as usual, was dull, The market closed generally lower than yesterday, owing to a raid on the movies