Life — February 24, 1916 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Satire from Life Magazine This page satirizes American attitudes toward Germany during World War I, specifically around President Wilson's 1917 inaugural address. The top section mocks "AMERICA" as hypocritical—claiming noble values ("Artful," "Merciful," "Energetic") while actually being mercenary and advantageous. The lower cartoon depicts German leaders at a podium, with the caption mocking their call for "hyphenation"—unity among German-Americans and other ethnic groups. The seated figures appear to represent German officials or sympathizers. The satire targets both German propaganda efforts to unite hyphenated Americans and American politicians who preached idealism while pursuing self-interest. This reflects wartime suspicion of German-American loyalties and anti-hyphenation sentiment that peaked during WWI.