Life, 1916-01-27 · page 32 of 44
Life — January 27, 1916 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This two-scene sketch satirizes British anxiety during World War I. The title references the German prayer "Gott strafe England" ("God punish England"), establishing the threat context. **Scene 1:** A worried English gentleman reads that the Empire faces serious trouble. His servant John repeatedly misunderstands, assuming the Master means entertainment venues or household concerns—not the war itself. John's obliviousness suggests ordinary British working-class citizens remain unbothered by wartime fears. **Scene 2:** Downstairs, John and Sarah (the cook) discuss the Master's anxiety with contempt. Sarah dismisses worry by invoking faith in "Kitch'ner" (Lord Kitchener, the military leader), suggesting the public trusts military leadership implicitly. **The satire's point:** While elites fret over Empire collapse, ordinary Britons either don't grasp the stakes or maintain stubborn confidence—a commentary on class divisions and working-class fatalism during wartime. The closing list mocks American criticism of Britain as hypocritical, given Britain's actual wartime sacrifices.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WILLIAM'S PRAYER « UND STRAFE JOHN BULL UND UNCLE SAM, AMEN.” Fear and Faith Scex : The study of an English gentleman. The owner occupying his easy chair and moodily reading The Times. Enter John, a body-servant, who quietly places some mail on his master’s table, Master (gloomily casting his paper aside): The papers seem to think things look bad for the old Empire, John. Joun (pausing): Is that so, sir? Master (more gloomily): Yes; pretty bad, I'm afraid. Joux (loquaciously): Well, I am sorry to ‘ear that, sir; not as ‘ow I’m much of a ‘and at the ‘alls, sir; but Master 'Arry will miss ‘is bit o’ fun of an evenin’, sir, when 'e’s done with the "Uns, sir. Master (impatiently): I'm not speaking of music halls, John: I mean the British Empire! Joun (with astonishment): Oh! yes, sir; of course, sir. (With more astonishment) Oo sez that, sir? Master: The papers; The Times and—and others, Joun (soothingly): They're ‘avin’ their little joke, sir? Master (still gloomily): No, John; they're quite serious. Joun (respectfully): Yes, sir; quite so, sir. Will you ‘ave your tea, sir? Master (emphatically): Damn my tea! Confound it, John, don’t you ever think of anything but tea, and baths, and boots, and—and things? Joun (agrecably): No, sir; not me, sir. Master (controlling himself) : What do your friends think? What does Sarah think? Joun (cagerly): Sarah thinks as ‘ow the grate in Master ’Arry’s room needs lookin’ into, sir, afore 'e comes ‘ome on ‘is leave, sir. Master (most impatiently): No, no! I mean about the war, John. Joun (less eagerly): She don't think anythink, sir; she lets Kitch'ner do that, sir. Master (sighing deeply): That's all, John. Joux (thankfully): Very good I'll get your tea, sir. E. . . Scene: Kitchen, below stairs. Sarah, a cook, fussing about the st Enter John, Joun (indignantly): Master's gone an’ ct more o” that curried mutton at ‘is club; ’e’s goin’ on somethink awful abaht old Hengland bein’ done up. Saran — (contemptuously) : Old Hengland bein’ done up? Not likely! Joun is enthusiasm): That's wot I sez: Not likely! Saran (impressively): Done up! Lumme ; 'e’ll be ’avin’ the Bank smashed next. If old Kitch’ner 'eard 'im grous- in’ like that, ’e’d give ’im wot for. Joun (admiring! That 'e would, mate; an’ ’e'd say, “’Ere! Don’t you eat no more o’ that curry.” (Curtain.) A Few Things That England Has Done for Us RANTED us our independence. Outdistanced us in the race for democracy. Laughed at some of our jokes. Conferred citizenship upon others. Appreciated Walt Whitman. Relieved us of Henry James. Furnished the only noteworthy example of respect for the Monroe Doctrine. Fought hard for the worthy ideals for which we whimper. oOo lia ta - Paw TT comicbooks.com