Life, 1915-12-23 · page 11 of 40
Life — December 23, 1915 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life page contrasts historical and contemporary American society through three images and accompanying commentary. The left panel shows a formal Victorian-era family portrait, paired with a dialogue where a child asks their father "Papa, what is a pacifist?"—a reference to pre-World War I pacifism debates. The right panel depicts a modern outdoor scene, likely satirizing contemporary social attitudes or behavior. Below, "The Groom" cartoon shows a wedding party, while the text "Reckless Extravagance" criticizes New York's spending on fire-prevention systems despite 15,000 factories lacking alarms. Billy Sunday (a famous evangelist) is quoted making a crude comparison about obtaining "concessions" from bellicose nations—the editor dismissively counters this as weak reasoning. The overall theme mocks shifting American values and priorities.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AMERICAN FAMILIES—PAST AND PRESENT “PAPA, what is a pacifist?” Reckless Extravagance Any man, my son, who makes war on the future of his country.” Mr. Hammitt, the head of the Fire Prevention Bureau, testifies that there are 15,000 factories in this city which lack interior fire-alarm systems. ‘ew York Tribune. 'HAT is worth the consideration of the financial experts engaged in trying to cut down New York's expense. If, with 15,000 fire-alarmless factories in New York, only bout four or five hundred people—mostly of no social importance—are burned in the course, say, of a couple of years, why go to the expense of having any fire-alarm sys- tem at all? Is it worth the trouble to spend thousands, maybe, on fire alarms in other factories when so few people only are concerned? Aren't there too many people in New York anyway? Buty SUNDAY says of Ford: He's got about as much chance of obtaining concessions from any of the belligerent nations as an unrepentant sinner has of getting into hea This is very weak language. Stick to the vernacular, Billy; say, “ About as much THE GROOM chance as a snowball in hell!” comicbooks.com