Life — December 7, 1916 — page 43: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features satirical political cartoons about November 1917, during World War I. The central image shows a large bear labeled "Russia" menacing a small figure representing "Freedom," while the Kaiser (German emperor) watches, saying "You get it and I'll give it to you." This references the Russian Revolution and Bolshevik seizure of power that month. The surrounding smaller cartoons mock various political situations: striking workers in California, congressional inaction, voting booth superstitions, and what appears to be domestic political turmoil ("Kicked Out," "A Pipe Dream"). Overall, the page satirizes how Russia's revolutionary upheaval threatened democratic freedoms while the Kaiser potentially benefited from the chaos. The cartoons suggest American anxiety about radical change and political instability during the final year of WWI.