Life, 1916-12-28 · page 16 of 41
Life — December 28, 1916 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon satirizes modern anxieties and pseudo-scientific fads. A figure drowns under cascading papers labeled with contemporary concerns—"Animal Torture," "Vaccination," "Compulsory Examinations," "Fear Propaganda," "Serums," "Sex Hygiene," "Health Insurance," "Baby Raids"—representing the era's proliferation of medical, social, and public health mandates. The caption mocks germ theory as mere "superstition," reflecting period skepticism toward emerging medical science. Below, "Words of Wisdom" lists historical figures (Alexander, Caesar, Richard I, Cromwell, Franklin, Grant, Bryan) all claiming "This will be the last great war"—satirizing humanity's repeated, futile hope that each conflict ends all wars, likely referencing WWI's marketing as "the war to end all wars." A final item mocks General von Hindenburg and journalist Karl Wiegand's war commentary, questioning whether Wiegand recently adopted the prestigious "Von" prefix. The lighter illustrations depict period romance and humor—a woman breaking New Year's resolutions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
_——— = : A Moder Maid ANIMAL TORTURE PFO | _ _ HE has a way of looking many VACCINATION COM a things— COMPULSORY EXAM rm Reserved or tender, sorrowful or a PROPAGANDA oH By, R_PROPAGANDA \ The morrow’s promise, or the yester= SERUMS PFD oo es G , a day SEX HYGIENE Of ancient wisdom. Old-world ro- Te k Z mance clings LTH NSURS 2M)\| About the new-world need for ques- 2 , tionings With which she qualifies her keen + survey Of life in earnest, or of life at play; And subtle charm swift ‘comprehen- sion brings Lies in her clear response to word or glance. Half ruled by impulse, wholly sensi- tive To others’ words—she holds in eye and lip The sorcery which conquers time and chance, And pledges as the best carth has to give The privilege of her true comrade- ship. Charlotte Becker. “NOU didn’t tell me, Bobbie, you were in a fight.” “No, sir, I knew you'd hear about if from that boy’s father. That’s the Words of Wisdom of Noted Men kind of a boy he is.” A EENDER: This will be the last great war. Caesar: This will be the last great war. Ricuarp I; This will be the last great war. O. Cromwett: This will be the last great war. B. Frankuin: This will be the last great war. U. S. Grant: This will be the last great war. W. J. Bryan: This will be the last great war. “11's THE BEST DAY'S WORK THE GERM SUPERSTITION EVER DID, DOCTOR.” Vons, Hindenberg und Wiegand Fifteen Million Men Lost in War by Allies Says Hindenberg.—Headline in the World. ENERAL VON HINDENBERG, with the help of Karl Wiegand, seems to be trying to beat the Allies with his mouth, a method of warfare deprecated by the late Lord Roberts. : All the same, he is the Grand Old Man of the Germans in this war, and shows judgment even in his talk. Karl wears a “Von” in his name now. Did he always = have it, or has he lately acquired it from the German Von- “OH, GEORGE! WHAT HAVE YOU BROKEN?” factory? “ONLY MY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS, DARLING.” comicbooks.com