Life, 1915-12-30 · page 10 of 41
Life — December 30, 1915 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several WWI-era satirical pieces: **"Footnote to Mr. Root"** mocks suffragists' claims about women's weakness, sarcastically suggesting women lack "nerve" for combat—an anti-suffrage argument. **"The New Year"** shows a child starting fresh, referencing New Year's resolutions. **"Guilty"** defends Boy Scouts and the military against pacifist criticism, asserting their training in duty and sacrifice is justified. It notes Austria-Hungary is now at war and food packages are being sent there. **"It Takes a Lot"** discusses Vassar's suggestion for a women's military battalion, concluding women's true patriotic duty is marrying soldiers rather than fighting themselves. The overall tone is pro-military and skeptical of pacifism during wartime.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1270 Footnote to Mr. Root T was many years ago that Mr. Root, in an address more quoted nowa- days by suffragists than by antis, spoke with deprecation of the predicament of Woman, “when she takes into her hands, feeble and nerveless for strife, weapons with which she is un- familiar and which she is unable to wield.” Now woman, as we all know, is the pepper on the egg of this life. So that it is inevitable to smile at thought of her “hands feeble and nerveless for strife.” Evidently Mr. Root meant feeble for strife with unfamiliar weap- ons. T this writing the Hyphens have not yet burned the White House. Mr. Peck (to stout stranger): PARDON ME. MIND STANDING ON MY WIFE'S FEET? SHE 1. ING HOME DURING THE RUSH HOUR. WOULD You SISTED ON COM- It Takes a Lot VASSAR applauded ex-Dean Putnam's suggestion that a battalion of able woman-soldiers, trained and armed, would be a great asset to the country. But, after all, what is asked of women is not courage to kill the men, but to marry them. The New Year: aw, COME ON! LET'S START OVER THERE TOGETHER Guilty EGULAR days for accusing the Boy Scouts of militar- ism ought to be appointed by all governors. The fact that for the first time in decades a large proportion of our boys are being taught how to obey, how to persevere through a regular routine, how to sacrifice pleasure for duty, how to save the lives of others, how to defend themselves and their country and how to keep themselves in the best physical condition is enough to condemn them in the eyes of the pacifists. The next thing someone will be accusing our army of militarism. T is Austria-Hungry now. Food packages are being sent there from this country by first-class registered mail. “CONGRATULATE ME, FREDDY. LAST NIGHT YOUR SISTER PROMISED TO MARRY ME.” “OH, SHE PROMISED MOTHER SH 'D MARRY YOU LONG ACO.”