Life, 1916-06-15 · page 19 of 48
Life — June 15, 1916 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces criticizing American institutions and wartime distraction: **"Let's Reform Congress"** argues that congressmen are generally below-average in honesty and competence compared to citizens they represent. The piece blames party politics for selecting unrepresentative candidates and calls for reform prioritizing national welfare over "pork, politics and piffle." **"Map It, Chancellor"** mocks German Chancellor von Bethmann Hollweg's appeal to examine war-maps for peace, sarcastically asking who can map "the German stomach"—implying German war aims are driven by appetite/greed rather than legitimate grievance. **"Only Two Periods"** references the two phases of WWI (pre- and post-Battle of the Marne). **"Distractions"** criticizes the World newspaper for running trivial stories (airplane contests, Statue of Liberty lighting) when serious news dominates—nominating conventions and the war. The joke suggests newspapers distract readers from important matters. The page reflects Progressive-era skepticism toward both democratic institutions and wartime media manipulation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Let's Reform Congress D° the American people really like their present Congress? Do they think it is a representative body—that 13, representative of the average honesty, patriotism, clear- sightedness and common sense of the American peo- ple? If so, there is nothing further to be said. Li There seems to be, though, a general belief that, with only a few exceptions, the men sent to Congress are not only below the level of the high- est American citizenship, but below the average in principle and mentality. In almost every state and Congres- sional district there are many men better fitted to represent their communities than the present holders of the seats in Con- gress. Party politics and party organiza- tions are, of course, responsible for these unrepresentative choices, This country always needs wise legis- lation, but the next Congress will have an unusual responsibility, We will need men who will put the country’s welfare above pork, politics and piflle. LEPHONE OPERATOR (19. 3 Yes, each of us girls is a notary! Yes, any one of us can marry you. Drop two dollars in the slot, please, and join hands! NY SAVED IS TWO PENCE EARNED” ABOUT TIME FOR ANOTHER Map It, Chancellor HANCELLOR VON HELLWEG in- vites us all to “take the war situa tion as every war-map shows it to be, and in that to find the basis of peace. But the difficulty is to get a reliable var-map of the German stomach. asa reliable cartographer of the German digestive tract? Only Two Periods HERE are two periods of the Great War. It is the second period which is proceeding nowadays with many de- lays and vicissitudes. The first period ended with the Battle of the Marne. “ DIPLOMATIC vicToRY "? Distractions HE World has been running two ex- tra features: an aeroplane contest a scheme for lighting the statue of Liberty. Both have been interesting, but why these enterprises in a time crowded with important news and with both the nom- inating conventions intruding? Is there something from the World thinks the public mind ought to be distracted? which HE five wise virgins would have been s their five sisters 1f they heeded the oil man's as foolish hadn't heard advertisement. comicbooks.com