Life, 1916-08-31 · page 12 of 34
Life — August 31, 1916 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes WWI through Charles Leroy Edison's poem about Napoleon Bonaparte sleepwalking through a nightmarish vision of modern warfare. The central cartoon shows German Zeppelins (airships) bombing, with explosions and naval warfare depicted below—referencing actual aerial bombardment that shocked civilians during the war. The bottom cartoon mocks food shortages, showing a pork barrel labeled "PLEASE!" with soldiers fighting over it—satirizing both military supply problems and civilian rationing during WWI. The poem's surreal tone mocks the war's chaos: Prussians attacking Paris, Valkyries, shark boats, English naval conflict, and ultimately destruction ("God's cathedrals are leveled"). The final stanza cynically notes Wilson (U.S. President) merely talks while Belgium suffers—criticizing American hesitation before 1917 entry.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“26 German Zeppelings drop bombs with usual results” t are too pathos to think how traveling public can no longer see foreign countries because of war,” I elope. “T cannot grieve with you,” nego- tiate Uncle Nichi with deceptive ex- pression peculiar to England making peace noises while blockading ports. Hoping you are the same Yours truly Hasnimura Toco. (Per Wallace Irwin.) The Somnambulist By Charles Leroy Edson P from the mausoleum's gloom An echo stirs in the cloistered shade; Bonaparte 1s awake in his tomb, And France leans over the balustrade; France in the Tri-Color rainbow ar- rayed— Immaculate maid. “Whence these thunders, whose raven- ous roar Can rouse the dead from their deep repose?” “The Prussians, Paris's door, Batter with vast, volcanic blows! Ten million French and ten million foes : Are locked in death's throes.” pounding at “What 1s this sickening, lurid light. ke sulphurous vapors from bursting stars?” “The vulturous Valkyries ride by night, While death drips down from their battle cars. Paris is trampled by Teuton Mars, Her bosom all scars! “ Shark boats under the English seas Hound the ships to their London lair; Poisonous vapors ride the breeze; Fire bombs fall in Trafalgar Square. Thousands of winged men fly in the air, And fight Zeppelins there. “Earthquakes leap from the monstrous guns; Forests fall at a battery blast; Flaming rivers precede the Huns, And all is ash where their feet have passed ; God’s cathedrals are leveled at last, And the world is aghast!” The doubting Corsican, in the gloom, Closed his eyes with their spectral gleam: “1 dreamed I woke in my marble tomb,” He sighed, “but my waking was @ dream, A nightmare that only the troubled soul Of a Bonaparte could dream!” ot, THEY say Wilson only talks. But all they wanted done about “The army and navy forever” Belgium was for him to say something.