Life, 1916-02-10 · page 31 of 44
Life — February 10, 1916 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1910s-era satirical piece mocks American military unpreparedness using two connected critiques: **The cartoon** shows a man proposing marriage to a widow surrounded by her children—a visual metaphor for taking on unwanted "incumbrances" (burdens). The caption warns suitors they're accepting the whole package. **The text**, by John B. Perryman, applies this logic to American military preparedness. The author sarcastically catalogs America's supposed defenses—scattered regiments, the USS Oregon, leaky submarines, poorly-equipped state militias with skipped drills—and concludes mockingly that America could "raise a million men" overnight who wouldn't know how to survive peacetime. The final jab at "William J." (likely William Jennings Bryan, pacifist politician) and his "peaceful dove" suggests relying on love instead of military strength is folly. **The point**: America cannot simply improvise military capability when war arrives. Preparedness requires actual training, equipment, and planning—not wishful thinking or pacifism. This reflects pre-WWI anxieties about American military readiness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
IN PROPOSING TO A WIDOW WITH INCUMBRANCES, REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING THE WHOLE FAMILY Why Prepare? men, eager for a fight, though, of course, they wouldn't know, not a single one, how to raise a shelter tent, how to HAT is all this noise about? Why should we prepare? Haven't we some regiments stationed here and there? Haven't we the Oregon, staunch old craft and crew? Also several submarines, though they leak, ’tis true. Then we have our State Milish, though it’s not equipped, and its semi-monthly drills frequently are skipped. And, as ev- erybody knows, in a single night we could raise a million fire a gun. Brave men knowing how to die, lives to country giving, though, of course, they wouldn't know how to keep on living. Also, we have William J., with his peaceful dove, and if Europe gives us war, we can give them love. John B. Perryman. comicbooks.com