Life — July 27, 1916 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "This Summer's Special Job" This page satirizes American military preparation during the Mexican border crisis (around 1911-1917). The article discusses mobilizing young men for potential war rather than civilian summer work. The cartoon "Three Jeers for the Red, White and Blue" shows three figures mocking patriotic service—likely representing different social perspectives on mandatory military duty. The illustration captioned "Summer Girl: Er—by the way, Harold, what's your last name?" depicts a young woman encountering a soldier, satirizing how military mobilization disrupted normal civilian life and courtship. The text argues that while border tensions justified military preparation, Congress reluctantly funded these efforts, and the disruption affected young men's marriages, family life, and normal economic activity—framing summer 1917 military service as necessary but socially disruptive.