Life, 1917-04-12 · page 16 of 42
Life — April 12, 1917 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine uses sharp irony to criticize President Wilson's military preparedness during World War I. The main article sarcastically "congratulates" Wilson for removing General Leonard Wood, a respected military strategist who had warned about inadequate coastal defenses. The satire argues that removing experienced fighting men in favor of pacifist principles is dangerously foolish—Wilson wants to fight a war with "minimum bloodshed" and "as little preparation" as possible, which the author presents as absurd. The section "Both Kinds in Congress" appears to mock Congress members divided between the knowledgeable and the ignorant. The advertisements are period parodies: "Hercules Butter," "Keep Bees" (with a pun on conscientious objectors), and "Methuselah eggs" mock consumer products while maintaining satirical commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
IPE: Congratulations to the President HAT a master stroke of strategy it was to get rid of Leonard Wood! As a fit open- ing of the war with Ger- many, certainly nothing better could have been done. Let us hope that this will be the beginning of popular movement to get rid of all our fighting generals. What President Wilson proposes to do is to have a genuine simon-pure war built on American lines, with a minimum of bloodshed, and as little preparation and organization as possible. If we can get away with this war without having done anything about it in the begin- ning and without doing anything much about it up to the end, what a glorious victory that will be! The trouble with General Wood is that he is too much of a fighting man. He has been near New York Harbor Jong enough to have learned how it might be best defended. His record as an experienced soldier is all against him, from the pacifistic standpoint. Be- “Tae Home A Pouno OF “Hercules “Butter, | ‘The able-bodied.all-powerful spread. Alively morsel in an armor-plate~ j sides, General Wood has called atten- tion several times to our total lack of coast defenses. A man like that ought to be segregated on an island in the Pacific Ocean, If, at the opening of the war, we can- not at once dispose of our real fighting men, what will happen to us? We might possibly, after a few years, be able to defend ourselves. This would be contrary to all pacifistic principles. If, at a time like this, we cannot be ruled by pacifistic principles, then, in God’s name, what's the use? Both Kinds in Congress 'HERE are those who know that knowledge exists, and suspect they have missed it. And there are those who are unaware that there is knowl- edge. Keep Bees! / ye Our stinging bees are™ ‘conscientious objectors and if they ever made honey wed keep them our- selves. Humouc Bee Company ‘A litle time may be enough fo hatch a great mischiel, é The Methuselah brand of elderly eggs. Genuine Antiques.—Pacxen By The Sociery Or Anriquarians. @ WARDROBE TRUNK, § | 7 Brossbound Goby Tot ADVERTISEMENTS YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN