Life, 1916-06-08 · page 17 of 46
Life — June 8, 1916 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine features a patriotic poem by Christopher Morley celebrating the American Navy during World War I. The illustration shows a German woman ("Fraulein") asking an American soldier about military figures, who identifies them as "the Allies"—referring to America's naval forces. The satirical cartoon critiques American civilian attitudes: the poem explicitly condemns "cheap civilian jeer" and "bootless nag" directed at the military, while praising the Navy's readiness and honor. The heading "The Battle Fleet" celebrates American battleships ("dreadnoughts") patrolling coastal waters from Cape Cod to the Florida Keys. This reflects wartime propaganda aimed at promoting military support and silencing domestic criticism of war efforts. The German woman's presence suggests the enemy perspective, implying Americans should unite against external threats rather than undermine their own armed forces.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Battle Fleet NMOVED by blame, unstirred by praise, By flattery or flout, The great gray vessels go their ways, Both battleship and scout ; And where the steep green surges swim From Cape Cod to the Keys Their smoke is on the sky-line rim, Their wake has churned the seas. “AM, FRAULEIN, WHAT Is THOSE?” “THE ALLIES.” Not theirs to choose, but theirs to cruise (Salt-spattered, stripped and lean), With yawning guns and thudding screws, The thankless waves between; And where Long Island sands are spread All level to the sky, Or where Bar Harbor light shines red, The battle fleet goes by. moana \S7)* | NW Then cease the cheap civilian jeer, The easy, bootless nag; Still undeterred the dreadnoughts steer In honor of the flag: Their friends the wide, uncabined blue, The screaming, soaring gulls, The men who keep prepared and true Their battlemented hulls. Christopher Morley. comicbooks.com