Life — March 15, 1917 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis The main illustration depicts a street scene where a woman and child approach an elegantly dressed couple. The caption quotes the child asking why paper costs five cents when "the Regular price is only a penny," and notes the president "got some spunk, after all." This appears to reference **price inflation during wartime or economic crisis**—likely WWI era, given Life's publication period. The "Regular" price suggests price controls or standard rates, while the inflated "five cents" reflects market manipulation. The child's innocent question highlights how ordinary citizens notice price gouging, while the adults' fashionable dress suggests wealthy merchants profiting from scarcity. The satire mocks both commercial greed and apparent government action ("got some spunk") to address it, though ineffectively.