Life, 1916-06-29 · page 17 of 41
Life — June 29, 1916 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page contains three distinct items: **"The Naval Plattsburg"** discusses a naval training cruise for civilians—a summer program where business clerks could take four-week naval reserve training on battleships (August-September). The article argues this deserves as much public attention as the Plattsburg military training camp, offering an appealing alternative for those with health concerns. **"Pro Aris et Focis"** (Latin: "for hearth and home") addresses Europeans confined to America during wartime (likely WWI-era), arguing prolonged domestic residence makes citizens more invested in defending their country. **"Business Good"** is a humorous dialogue: Willis's town has formed a "Speak-the-Truth Club" led by an automobile dealer. When questioned if he can ethically accept this role, Willis jokes that car demand is so high the dealer "doesn't even have to lie in order to sell them"—satirizing both automobile salesmen's reputation for dishonesty and wartime economic prosperity. The accompanying illustration shows a couple examining a carpet—captioned "The Honeymoon That Never Waned"—likely related to one of these sections, though the connection remains unclear.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Naval Plattsburg T seems curious that the daily press, while it has space to tell us about so many unimportant things—such as what Dr. Waite is thinking, or what Bryan says at Chautauqua—gives very little attention to so fine and sensible a ter as the naval training cruise for s which will take place this sum- mer. We strolled into a naval recruiting sta- tion the other day, having heard rumors of this enterprise. We saw half a dozen young men, in an enviable nakedness (it was a hot day), being examined by a doctor in uniform. We found that they were mostly clerks in business houses whose employers had granted them per- mission (on full pay) to prolong their vacations this year to four weeks in or- der to join the cruise. It will last from August 15 until September 12. Reserve battleships will be used, and every effort will be made to teach the greenhorns as much of naval discipline as can be learned in one month. The plan is to continue these cruises each summer, and a man who has completed four voyages to the satisfaction of his commanding officers will be given a certificate and a rating in the naval reserve. The navy is our first line of defense, and surely this training cruise should rank just as high as Plattsburg in popu- lar regard. Men who sutier from hay fever would certainly find it far more congenial than the field manoeuvres of the military camps. It is a splendid chance to learn something of the fine discipline of seamanship. Pro Aris et Focis HIS is our second summer out of Europe. The longer our more influential people are confined to residence and travel in their own country, the more apt they will be to feel active concern about defending and conserving it. People who like to go somewhere in the summer must have somewhere to go. Even people who have to stay at home may justly concern them- selves to have a home to stay at. Business Good ILLIS: They have formed a Speak-the-Truth Club in our town, and our leading automobile ent is the president. Gittis: Indeed? Can he conscientiously accept it? Wittts: Yes. He says the demand for cars is so great now that a fellow doesn’t even have to lic in order to sell them. THE HONEYMOON THAT NEVER WANED comicbooks:com ~