Life — July 27, 1916 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Satire: "Mr. Munsey Buys the 'Sun'" This cartoon satirizes Frank Munsey's 1916 purchase of the *New York Sun* newspaper. The illustration shows Munsey (top left, in formal dress) presenting the acquisition to military/naval officers (labeled "U-18," referencing German submarines). The caption "IF YOU MUST PUNISH MURDERERS, WHY NEGLECT THE BIGGEST ONES?" suggests the cartoon equates Munsey's control of the press with serious harm—comparing newspaper monopolization to wartime violence. The accompanying text criticizes Munsey for reducing the *Sun's* price to one cent and stripping its quality to chase cheap circulation over substantive journalism. The satire argues that consolidating newspaper ownership under profit-driven management damages public discourse more seriously than acknowledged crimes.