Life, 1916-12-07 · page 40 of 94
Life — December 7, 1916 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is not satire but a charitable appeal. During World War I, Life magazine solicited American donations to support French children orphaned or separated from mothers by war. The page features photographs of actual French children (identified by number: Baby 313, Babies 289-290, etc.) who benefited from reader contributions. The appeal emphasizes that $73 per child—ten cents daily for two years—keeps orphans with mothers rather than institutions. It argues France's future depends on these children, as "the flower of French manhood is being utterly wiped out." The page notes readers raised $38,304.26, remitted as 199,536.09 francs to France. Some American parents donated "in behalf of their children," creating symbolic bonds between American and French youth. This represents wartime humanitarian fundraising, not political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1020 Christmas Life Helping the Orphaned French Babies Christmas is peculiarly the day of the child, it seems fitting that in this Christmas number of Lire we should show to our readers the faces of some of the French children who have benefited by their generosity. These are only a few children out of several hundred whose Christmas has n made, if not merry, at least more endurable through the kind-hearted- ness of Americans Perhaps the best Christmas thought in connection with this fund is that through Lire’s readers many little DEVIENNE, BAnY 358, AND IER ROTHER AND SISTER JEANNE families, and particularly the mothers, have been saved from having the agony of separation added to the sor- rows inflicted on them by the war. The money that goes from America to France in this cause serves especially to keep children orphaned by the war with their mothers, instead of their be- ing sent to public institutions, where they can be cared for at less expense. The French government makes a small allowance for the support of widows and orphans, but letters we have re- ceived from some of the mothers show how insufficient this is unless supple- mented by outside aid. The amount supplied under the contribution of MADELEINE GAUCHERIN, BABY 313 seventy-three dollars each is little cnough—amounting to ten cents a day for two years for each child—but with the wonderful gift of economizing in- herent in French women the small JEANNE AND SIMONE ROBERT, BABIES 289 AND 290 daily allowance is made to accomplish much. The flower of French manhood is being utterly wiped out of existence by the immensity and savagery of t war. The hope of France for its future rests in its children of the pres- ent. If they, too, must be sacrificed JULIETTE AND ODETTE SAUTON, BAIES 344 AND 345, the spirit of France, which has been the admiration and joy of the world, will be extinguished forever. Lire’s readers have appreciated the tragedy of the situation and have most generously availed themselves of the opportunity to help our friends in sore need. We have acknowledged from them contributions of $38,304.26, from which we have remitted to France 199,536.09 francs. Among the contributions received from Lire’s readers are quite a num- ber made by parents in behalf of their children, This was in response to a suggestion that, with this bond of in- terest between the children of France comicbooks.com