Life, 1917-03-01 · page 17 of 42
Life — March 1, 1917 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains anti-war satire, likely from around 1915-1916 when America debated entering World War I. **"Why Worry?"** mocks isolationist attitudes and calls out Theodore Roosevelt's interventionist stance. The text sarcastically suggests waiting for "supreme disaster" before acting, and ironically invokes God's help while noting He's "helped Germany kill many of our citizens"—the satire's bitter point being that passivity is morally indefensible. **"Defying the Lightning"** (left illustration) depicts a man facing a map with lightning bolts, likely representing America's dangerous position ignoring the war's threat. **"It's All in the Point of View"** is a domestic joke about perspective: a child prefers mother spanking him to father because "he doesn't know how. He hurts." **"How It Was"** humorously catalogs minor moral failings at a social gathering. **"Two Lovely Berries"** references the Kaiser in civilian dress—unclear without more context, but appears topical commentary on German leadership. The page's overall tone: frustrated advocacy for American military preparedness disguised as sardonic humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: Why Worry? WHEN, perhaps, a few of our principal cities have been destroyed, it may then be time to take up this little war matter, possibly in earnest. Still, it might be well to wait until the war is over. To go into the war stern first, as the Hon. Theo- dore Roosevelt suggests, is, however, quite the proper thing. We have always done it this way. Why change now? Let us by all means wait until a supreme disaster comes, and then take time by the hindlock. At present we have had only a little over two years’ notice. And what is two years’ notice among enemies? Meanwhile, let us trust in Josephus Daniels and God. God has helped Germany kill many of our citi- zens. Why may He not help us? It's All in the Point of View LBERT, aged three and a half, had failed to respond to verbal reprimand, and at last his mother said, “If you don’t behave you will have to be spanked. You would not like that, would you?” “IT wouldn't like daddy to spank me,” was the quick response. “Why not?” “He doesn’t know how. He hurts.” How It Was ILLIS: Did you have a good time at the Bump’s last evening? Gus: Yes. We spent an evening of sin. Wittts: What do you mean? Guus: My wife cheated at cards, I lied about my in- come, and between us we swiped their best umbrella. AS anybody ever seen a picture of the Kaiser in civilian uniform? DEFYING THE LIGHTNING “TWO LOVELY BERRIES MOLDED ON ONE STEM.” comicbooks.com