Life — December 2, 1915 — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

DECEMBER 2, 1915 Christmas Life “* While there ts Life there's Hope’* Published by LIFE PUBLISHING COMPANY J. A. Mitenett, Pres’t, A. Miter, Sec’y and Treas. 17 West Thirty-first Street, New York English Offices, Rolls House, Breams Bldgs., L The Great Holiday Combine HE Holidays met. Christmas and New Year's came along fairly close together. Washing- ton’s Birthday and the Fourth of July, old cronies both, followed arm in arm. Thanksgiving, solemn and sedate, was last. In my opinion,” said Thanksgiving, “we ought to strike for an eight-hour day. Ever since I was born I’ve had to labor overtim: “What do you think of me?” said Christmas. “I not only have to work before and after, but think of the bundles I have to carry!” The Fourth of July now started to speak, but there was an outcry. “Put him out! He's crazy.” “T used to be,” smiled the Fourth, when there was a lull, “but I’m saner than I was. This leads me, my friends, to make a suggestion. Before we take any radical measures to reduce our present burdens we should wait until we are stronger.” “T agree with the gentleman who has just spoken, and of whom in re- cent years I have heard the best re- ports,” id a tall, stylish person dressed in the very extreme of fash- ion, who proved to be Easter. “ My friends, be patient.” “What's the idea of patience?” asked Columbus Day, fretfully. “You don’t look like Mr. Bryan, but you act like him.” “Let me explain,” now interpolated the Fourth, with a glorious glow on his red-white-and-blue face. “ There's lon, F.C. strength in numbers. Now we are slowly increasing all the time. If we are willing to wait, in a few more years all the days in the year will be holidays; then they'll all be worked so hard they can combine and secure a minimum working day for every hol- iday. What says everybody?” Everybody was unanimous except one little voice that spoke up clear and loud: “Never! Don’t shorten me what- ever you do! I don’t do half as much as I would like. Put me down as against it “Your name?” asked the secretary. “Valentine’s Day Greeting! THE cedar and the holly Their Christmas joys may show— As some aver—but I prefer Just yew and mistletoe! Heroes 'HE present facilities of the world for producing heroes have never been excelled. The hero factories are running night and day and have or- ders ahead which they cannot fill fast enough, and already the veins of the world are swollen with a plethora of heroes. A hero should be sporadic. Heroes decrease in intensity as their number increases. The rays of hero-worship converge at one point and cannot be focussed in all directions at once. When is a hero not a hero? When he is but one of several he- roes. There is naturally a degree of com- parison between heroes. One hero is naturally more heroic than another. And the standard of heroism is rising day by day. One inevitable result of the present great conflict, if it long continues, is to place the goal of heroism just be- yond the reach of human endeavor. SAFE AND SANE SOLUTION Santa Claus: WILL YOU PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION? IT IS TO CHANGE THE DANGEROUS CELEBRATIONS OF JULY THE FOURTH, SO THEY WILL BE SIMILAR TO CHRISTMAS comicbooks.com