Life — May 18, 1916 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This Life magazine page satirizes anti-preparedness advocates. The header cartoon shows a man and woman happily exchanging items labeled "PLATO," while a cherub swings a hammer—suggesting naive pacifists focused on philosophy rather than practical defense. The article "Nothing In It" mocks those claiming "anti-preparedness" is extinct. It compares such believers to the "Great Auk"—a now-extinct flightless bird—sarcastically noting the bird's uselessness mirrors the anti-preparedness position. The illustration "Some Are Born Great" depicts what appears to be a social gathering or medical scene, though its specific connection to the anti-preparedness theme remains unclear from the visible content. Overall, the page argues that anti-war/anti-military sentiment persists despite claims otherwise, and that such pacifism is as obsolete and ineffective as an extinct bird.