Life, 1917-01-04 · page 4 of 38
Life — January 4, 1917 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page announces an upcoming special "Belgian Number" of *Life* magazine focused on Belgium's plight during World War I. The illustration shows a fashionable woman reading a newspaper with the exclamation "Belgium!" The accompanying text appeals to American neutrality sentiment by arguing that no American can remain truly neutral given Belgium's tragedy. It acknowledges that Americans outwardly maintain neutrality and financial security, but inwardly feel shame about doing nothing while Belgian citizens drown. The passage uses emotional language to pressure readers toward concern for Belgium's fate. The advertisement promotes the next issue as an vehicle to "voice this feeling," attempting to convert readers' guilty emotions into magazine subscriptions. This reflects early WWI-era American sympathy for Belgium before U.S. entry into the war in 1917.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
He Yes to clu belons He longir many ute ic “ Belgium!” No true American can ever be neutral while the tragic cry of Belgium rings ’round the world. The next num- ber of Lire will try to express what every American feels about the most colossal crime in history. Outwardly and ; blatantly, prosperous America rings its dollars on the 4 counter and smiles in its fancied security. But inwardly 7” Special all Americans know in their hearts that Belgium’s fate fi ke might easily be ours. And inwardly and in their hearts 7” Gnd One Dut Americans also must feel a deep sense of shame that we fo devs teretes are doing nothing. Even our own citizens have been fof tie combs te drowned on the high sea—why should we care for the ¢ fate of Belgium? But we do. The next number of Lire will voice this feeling. The Belgian Number of Lire—Next week. Open only to new subscribers; no su scriptions renewed at this rate. cen the Miniature Lire Number 7 VIER 1p. Westzaseis Siceetsttews Ford é end us a two-cent stamp Va a i forward you a copy. rs One Year, $5.00. (Canadian, $5.52; Foreign, $6.04.) Z comichooks.com