Life, 1917-02-22 · page 18 of 42
Life — February 22, 1917 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page uses a spiritualist device ("planchette"—a ouija board pointer) to imagine how famous historical and literary figures would comment on World War I. The satire works by placing their known philosophies against modern mechanized warfare, creating absurdist contrasts: Dante finds his Hell outdone; Darwin sees "competition"; Cervantes notes man's idealism makes him a "boob." The political point emerges clearly: Lincoln observes enslaved peoples needed freeing (suggesting war frees nations); Bismarck's comment that entering Belgium was a "great and deadly mistake" references Germany's controversial invasion. Machiavelli jokes about kings becoming Socialists (war driving radical change). The lower cartoon, "The Bride's First Visit to an Employment Agency," appears unrelated wartime satire about labor shortages—women entering the workforce as men enlisted. The page satirizes both the war's absurdity and its social consequences through high-minded literary voices rendered increasingly cynical.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Opinions on the War (By Planchette) DANTE They have stolen my hell. Joxatuan Swirt. Iam ashamed of my cynicism. Tor MADA. Good-night nurse! Darwin. The Epic of Competition. Cagsar. Very interesting. Cervantes. Don Quixote was right—man is an idealist- ic boob. Amita. A body? A body! A paradise in the skies for a body! Eucutp, The shortest way between Liege and Calais was not Paris, after gil! Aesop. What a theme for a fable—a Lion, a Bear, a Cock and an, Eagle! . Spinoza. It is of no importance. Merely one of the modalities of the X. Leave it to George. Fraupert. Imagination is the root of all evil. If the Kaiser had dressed as a civilian and always been photo- graphed as such, this war would never have occurred. It is a matter of pure suggestion. Lincotn. I see the blacks were not the only ones who needed freeing. Watt Waitaay, Gas-bags all! THE BRIDE'S FIRST VISIT TO AN EMPLOYMENT AGENCY “ou! 1 say, orp Top!” Macutavettt. The quicker these kings become Sociali the better for their heads. I must get out an extra edition of “The Prince.” Scnorennauer. As the will is not free, I do not see how it could be helped. Goerue. This is a beautiful panorama from Olympus. Emerson. The Oversoul is trying to get a message through—that’s all. Bismarck. He made his great and deadly mistake when he entered Beigium. Benjamin De Casseres. Memories EYE used to tell her granddaughters about the serpent. “T never saw him again,” she sighed, “but he was the most charming personality I have ever met. Sometimes, in the moonlight, I remember the thrilling tones of his voice—you see I never had any choice, for your grand- father was wished on me, as you might say, before I was born.” But Cain’s daughters giggled. They said to each other afterward that to be the only woman in the world and get no more out of it than grandmother did was very poor play. P. Leonard. HERE'S another nice thing about the movies. It doesn’t take a woman three hours to dress before she is ready to attend one of them.