Life, 1916-10-12 · page 16 of 44
Life — October 12, 1916 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on several topics relevant to the WWI era: **"To My Country"** is a patriotic poem by Westmore Willcox, Jr., declaring loyalty to one's nation regardless of circumstance. **The street-direction cartoon** depicts a confused pedestrian asking directions, with the caption humorously suggesting the person only knows about ears, noses, and throats—appearing to mock those with limited knowledge or expertise. **"The Elusive Germ"** satirizes medical science's repeated "discoveries" of the typhus germ. The piece mocks doctors for repeatedly claiming to discover it while unable to keep consistent treatments, contrasting this unfavorably with permanent geographical discoveries like Columbus finding America. The satire suggests frustration with medical incompetence or overstated claims. **"Mileage Per Gallon"** is a dialogue joke: Willis mentions Spanish "hidalgos" traveling three thousand miles on a "galleon" (ships). Gillis misinterprets this as discussion of foreign automobiles, dismissing exaggerated foreign car claims as unbelievable—a play on homophone confusion and skepticism toward foreign technology claims.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
620 To My Country EFORE the eyes of all the world My loyalty T proudly swear. Where shields are pierced and lances hurled I take my place with you to dare. Though banners flaunt or low are furled, Your fate I share. A fealty too high for fear. That gathers honor being known; Amid the press I draw me near, Proclaim your title for my own And though your claim be not proved clear— Your feet, my throne. So trusting, I may make them trust ; So worshiping, may make them pause; So drawing, where their swords long rust, Compel a people to your laws. Until Tam but dust of dust, Your cause, my cause. Westmore Willcox, Jr. IX strikes, the next worse thing to hav- ing the strikers win is to have them lose, and the next worse thing to having them lose is to have them win. “PARDON ME, SIR. ND STREET 18?" 1 ONLY KNOW AnOUT THE COULD YOU TELL ME WHERE FoRTY- EAR, NOSE AND IP SIR WALTER RALEIGH WERE HERE TO-DAY The Elusive Germ ROM Austria comes the announcement that the typhus germ has been discovered. Whereupon we are con- strained to remark: “What! Again?” How different are germs from Americas and North Poles! When a Christopher Columbus (or was it Amerigo Vespucci?) discovers America it stays discovered for all time. So also when a Peary (or was it Dr. Cook?) dis- covers the North Pole. But not so with the germs that our doctors talk about so knowingly, and especially not so with the typhus germ. It is discovered every little while, but it consistently refuses to stay discovered. The worst part of it is that every time it is discovered it requires a dif- ferent gtyle serum, Let us hope, therefore, that this latest discovery pos- sesses a little more permanency. It would be great if this newly discovered germ would get married and settle down somewhere, with a regular address and a telephone con- nection, so that we would have a chance to become ac- quainted with it. Mileage Per Gallon Just think of it! Those Spanish hidalgos Wits: would go three thousand miles on a galleon! Gittis: Nonsense. You can't believe half you read about those foreign cars.