Life, 1916-02-17 · page 41 of 52
Life — February 17, 1916 — page 41: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The left cartoon, titled "A Musical Strain," satirizes German Kaiser Wilhelm II's reported offer of inducements for large families (seventh, eighth, ninth sons). The figure stands atop a pedestal labeled "My Country, 'Tis of Thee," playing a violin, suggesting he's orchestrating population growth as patriotic duty. The satire mocks Malthusian concerns—the belief that overpopulation caused Germany's troubles. The Life magazine article argues the Kaiser encourages reproduction despite population already destabilizing the nation. The "musical strain" pun suggests both an orchestrated policy and the strain (burden) of excess population. The cartoon critiques the Kaiser's contradictory logic: Germany suffers from overpopulation, yet he incentivizes more children. This reflects early-20th-century anxieties about population, immigration, and national strength amid rising European tensions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A MUSICAL STRAIN Malthusian Details R PORT says that the Kaiser is of- fering inducements for seventh, eighth and ninth sons in German fam- ilies. Tut, tut! It is largely an overgrowth of pop- ulation that has got Germany into trouble. Perhaps the Kaiser’s sub- jects will come presently to sce that, even though the Kaiser doesn’t. An- cestor-worship has led to over-popu- lation in China; immigration has cut down the size of families of Ameri- can stock in the United States; thrift has dangerously limited the increase GARAGE §$ HEATER 1 4. Protect Your Car! 7 Manufacturtn: . Cheel Send In Your Order Act NOW! Today! OF BRAINS Gortex AGARS “MADE AT KEY WEST.— ization in America. “Allen {Dort American La France *Duplex Power “Anderson yEnger tApperson Federal Austin ILL A.T. “Biddle {Bimel SCase {Chalmers Crawford “Gerlinger ‘Glide {Gramm-Bernstein Gramm Motor Truck ‘Halladay {Hupmobile “Imperial IKelly-Springfield jKiesel Car “Kline Kar 8 *Starting, Lighting and Ignition. Automobile Equipment Department tLighting and Ignition. You know these “Blue Ribbon” Cars—every motorist knows them. Dollar for dollar, in competition with the field, at their respective prices —they stand for the highest achievement in American Motor Car design—the maximum investment value for every Automobile dollar. Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company ‘Canadian Westinghouse Compan; Awarded Gold Meda! at Panam: AmericanBlueRibbo Fitted withWesting Automobile Equip Starting — Lighting Ignition every practical motorist it must be full of | meaning that in each of these fifty-nine leading cars, the Electric Equipment is Westinghouse Electric—in every case designed and built for that specific car by the foremost electric and engineering organ- JLauth-Juergens “Republic “Lenox 3Richard tLexington FRiddle Locomobile farion ‘*McFarlan ‘Michigan Hearse Mitchell Moreland National =Nelson-Le Moon “Pathfinder *Pierce-Arrow “Pilot $Stegeman “Sterling: Motor Boats) 3Pullman 2Starting and Lighting. t le Works, Pittsburgh, Pa. cific Exposition. tl Shady: Ltd., Hamilton, Ont. Atlanta, Ga. Ozburn Automobile Supply Co. Baltimore, Md., The Richardeon Garage. 0. Co. Supply Co. ‘The Auto Electric Equipment Co. 7, Col, Shaffer Auto Supply Co. Cit 1 The Equipment Co. Tel-Electric Co. einhard Bros. Co. Chicago, II, Pittsburi of the French. There are too many Chinese, too many Germans, not enough French, and not enough Americans of the old stock. The worst case is ours. The Colo- nials hereabouts were abundantly fruitful. Families fell off because pa- rents would not throw their children into the competition of imported Eu- ropeans. The conditions of life will determine the birth rate, but neither exhortations to fruitfulness nor the 0. w Cleveland, O., Detroit, Mich.. estinghouse OWreadyforyour FORD Car-the new Westinghouse Equipment (Starting-Lighting-Ig- nition)—$75 up. Installations made complete at these Service Stations and Agencies:— New Orleans, La., Shuler Rubber & Supply Co. Oelwein, Ia., Chas W. Bopp. Oklahoma City, Okla. Severin Tire & Supply Co. Omaha, Neb., Powell Supply Co. Philadelphia, Pa., Motor Parts Co. Pittsburgh, Pa, Pittsburgh Auto Equipment Co. Springfield, Mass., Motor Parts Co. St, Louis, Mo., Phoenix Automobile Supply Co. Record Auto Supply & Service Co. ‘Western Anto Supply Co. Indianapol New York, N.Y. rvice S spread of control-of-birth literature will much affect the conditions of life. DIME to that one? Why, man, he was recking with rum! Sure, He'll buy whiskey with it at the next corner! Yes. But it's a public duty to keep these soaks soaking. When they sober up and get chauffeur jobs they're dangerous,