Life — May 31, 1917 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical illustration titled "In Ye Goode Olde Days / Ye Recruitynge Expedityone," depicting military recruitment in medieval times. The cartoon shows armed soldiers with spears and shields at the bottom, while above them chaotic scenes illustrate various recruitment methods—people being chased, coerced, or otherwise forced into service. Flying creatures and fantastical elements fill the upper portions. The satire appears to criticize contemporary military recruitment practices by comparing them unfavorably to "the good old days," implying that modern recruitment is similarly coercive or underhanded. The joke suggests that forced conscription or aggressive recruiting tactics aren't new—they're as old as warfare itself. Without a visible date, the specific historical context of which recruitment crisis this references remains unclear.