Life, 1916-03-16 · page 16 of 44
Life — March 16, 1916 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a skeletal Death figure (labeled "Quo Vadis?"—"Where are you going?") carrying dead soldiers, while a small soldier with a money bag labeled "money" questions where this is leading. The Latin phrase and imagery suggest criticism of WWI as a senseless march toward death for financial gain. The "Prayer of the College Grad" mocks recent graduates' arrogance and superficiality—their desire for unearned status, celebrity connections, and high salaries without actual responsibility. "When Women Vote" expresses skepticism about female suffrage (newly granted or being debated), dismissing most women voters as forgetful, hysterical, or undeserving—a cynical view typical of anti-suffrage sentiment. The political commentary criticizes both Democratic and Republican platforms for contradictory peace/war positions, suggesting neither party offers coherent policy. Overall, the page satirizes American arrogance, generational pretension, doubts about democracy, and WWI's human cost.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“ NEVER MIND—ONWARD, CHRISTIAN SOLDIER QUO VADIS? Prayer of the College Grad Grow me this day how to increase my vast store of polite imperti- nence. Help me to acquire a clever manner of speech and style of dress that will make me ostentatiously unlike all others of my kind. Increase my superiority over my eld- ers, especially those who have not risen above doing the commonplace necessary things of life. Lead me to the celebrities, that I may know them and speak of them casually by their first names and thus increase my prestige among the younger set who look to me for standards. Give me personality, which will en- able me to assert myself in all matters and —to “put it over” my friends and enemies upon all occasions, especially those who know not the limitations of my college wisdom but remain dumb before my cleverness. And finally, help me to a big job in- volving work and great responsibility which I can delegate to underlings and still draw for myself the large salary attached thereto. When Women Vote IFTY per cent. will forget it Twenty per cent. will remember it. Twenty per cent. will continue to be hysterical about it and work for as many election days as possible. Ten per cent. will deserve it. ” Don't Borrow Trouble If the Demoeratic party expects to make its campaign this year on a platform which insists on an un wavering and unconditional peace policy, the logical nomine Presidency is not Mr. Wils Mr. Bryan.—The Tribune. ide a Your O not try, brother, to pr nominee for the Democrats hands are full enough in furnishing someone to run against them. Course of History "THE Democratic platform i The War’s a Failure! The Republican platform in 1916- Peace is a Failure! 1864—