Life, 1915-12-16 · page 9 of 44
Life — December 16, 1915 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Cartoon ("Memories"):** A man reclines in an armchair, apparently daydreaming or reminiscing. He's boasting about being "an all-American full-back" and "the best drop-kicker Yale ever had"—likely satirizing men who nostalgically exaggerate their athletic glory days. **"Types" Section:** Critiques newspapers' disregard for readability. The text argues that if all typefaces were uniform and larger, papers would be more legible, yet publishers prioritize saving paper costs over reader comfort. **"France" Section:** Commentary on France's national character, praising French courage while suggesting the French are emotionally volatile and unpredictable—capable of both heroism and sudden reversals. **Bottom Cartoon:** A father warns his mischievous child to behave, suggesting parental supervision prevents trouble.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“YES, I WAS ALL-AMERICAN FULL-BACK IN MY DAY AND THE BEST DROP-KICKER YALE EVER HAD” Types IF types were all uniform in size, what a boon and bless- ing would this be to all of us! Apparently our news- papers do not consider the human eye any more than the railroads. To save paper is more important than eyesight, so the finest types are used. How much would be gained if types were made twenty per cent. larger, and the mass of material we are supposed to read were twenty per cent. less. “Now BABY, YoU Yo RASCAL, COME AROUND HERE WHERE PAPA CAN WATCH YOU, OR SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN" France 'HE Kansas City Star says about France: Its course since the declaration of war has been an inspiration to all believers in democracy. In this respect France is like some one whom we have always misjudged a little, not giving due credit for qual- ities possessed, and overestimating others. It is assumed by many that a lightness of touch and a certain vivacity, are not consonant with patience and long suffering.” Of the French soldiers it was once said that they were splendidly courageous in attack, but incapable of reverses; yet we now see them serenely patient and apparently incapable of that kind of discouragement which is supposed to go with a volatile temperament. It appears to us that France has done even more than to inspire; she has taught us anew what should never be forgotten—that there is no rule to human nature that human beings cannot be tied down to certain fixed ideas of what they will do in certain circumstances. In short, human nature makes its own rules to suit itself as it goes along. A Modern Improvement Now let us take the phrase, “I was a Can any one make EACHER: stranger, and ye took me in.” that sentence any better? Boy: I was neutral and ye took me in. comicbooks.com