Life, 1916-06-01 · page 16 of 44
Life — June 1, 1916 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct satirical pieces: **"Not Yet a Hundred Babies"** documents Life magazine's charitable fund for war orphans, listing small donations ($2-$6) from readers. The title suggests the fund hasn't yet reached 100 beneficiaries. **"The Thing Needful"** is an essay by Benjamin De Casseres attacking German Kaiser Wilhelm II, arguing his dynasty lacks humor—described as essential to any civilization's survival. The piece suggests Prussia's militarism and "Kultur" will fail precisely because of this humorless rigidity. This reflects WWI-era American sentiment against Germany. **"Campaign Documents"** presents fictional resignation letters from Secretary of Navy Josephus Daniels and Secretary of Treasury William G. McAdoo, sarcastically suggesting Wilson's re-election would be assured if these officials resigned. This appears to critique either their policies or Wilson's administration generally. **"Easily Traced"** mocks artistic unoriginality—a book adapted from a film adapted from a play adapted from a French translation of a Russian novel, suggesting nothing is original. The cartoon depicts a safecracker claiming it's a "natural gift"—gentle humor about career choices.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: Not Yet a Hundred Babies LETTER from the Secretary-General of L’Orphelinat des Armées acknowledges receipt of the first remit- tance from Lire’s Baby Fund and states that while it was not possible at the moment to forward the names and addresses of the orphans to be benefited, that information would be sent by the following mail. On account of the early closing of Lirr’s forms, due to Decoration Day, the following acknowledgments cover only five days instead of a week, as usual. We have from C.L. T. and L. F, T., Alameda, Cal., for Baby No. Lire, for Baby No. 98.......... FOR BABY NUMBER NINETY-FIVE Already acknowledged .. Mrs. B, Davis, Toronto, Ont Ce > Fla.. Monterey, Cal. W. H. Bentley, Los Angeles, Cal. Total -vvevves FOR BABY NUMBER NINETY-SIX A Belgian, Century, Fla.......... Henry H. Taylor, Bridgeport, Conn Manly B. Haynes, Hanford, Wash... E. T., Hillsboro, N, I. Tait Estate, Butte, Mon Neietaas Clarence T. Birkett, New York City... From a Friend, Boston, Mass... The Thing Needful 'HE psychology of the Hohenzollern dynasty: The mys- tical Idea of Grandeur without a sense of humor. Frenzied patriotism without a sense of humor. Alliance with a self-created God without a sense of humor. Mes- sianic Kultur by the far-trumpeted Prometheus of nations without a sense of humor. It is just this absence of the sense of humor that will unhorse William II and lay his empire in the dust. For without that sense of humor noth- ing can persist a long time. It is proportion, sanity, via- bility—that sense of humor; and without it one goes very high, rocket-high, in human history, but comes down like the stick. It is just for that reason that the name of Homer will outlive that of Tolstoi and the name of Nietz- sche will outlive that of William II. Humor (restraint and proportion) are found in Art—which is the humor of Consciousness. Suppose Tolstoi and William II had had a sense of humor? But maybe they had. Can it be they are fumistes? Benjamin De Casseres. Easily Traced “THE plot of Dasher’s latest book has a sort of vague, elusive familiarity. “No doubt; he wrote it from the motion picture that was adapted from the stage success translated from the dramatized French version of a Russian problem novel.” Campaign Documents HERE are two documents, not yet written, which would be powerful arguments for the re-election of Presi- dent Wilson: Wasutnotox, any date, 1916, Sir: I hereby tender my resignation as Secretary of the Navy, to take effect immediately. Joserpuus Dantecs, Accepted: W. W. . Wasutncton, any date, 1916, Sir: I hereby tender my resignation as Secretary of the Treasury, to take effect immediately. Ws. G. McAooo, Accepted: W. W. Visitor: BUT WHATEVER INDUCED YOU TO TAKE UP SAFE- CRACKING FOR A LIVING? “oun! 1 DUNNO, LADY. FOR IT,” I GUESS I HAD A NATURAL GIFT comicbooks.com