Life, 1917-06-14 · page 4 of 38
Life — June 14, 1917 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a WWI-era recruitment advertisement masquerading as editorial content. The cartoon shows a well-dressed man with a top hat holding a whip, controlling a bear (labeled, appearing to represent Germany or enemy forces) perched on a pedestal. The text references "Teddy"—likely Theodore Roosevelt, known for enthusiastic nationalism and the phrase "speak softly and carry a big stick." The article argues that enthusiasm and leadership win wars, crediting such qualities with American military success in France. The publication then makes an unusual request: readers should *not* promote Life magazine this week to support the war effort instead. This patriotic self-sacrifice was a common WWI propaganda tactic, positioning non-promotion as a civic duty toward winning "that war first."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
" . ies wi 7 Several sample copics will be sent to / TIPE ay Wenssin Sten, Wow VG, J7, One Year, $5.00. (Canadian, $5.52; Foreign, $6.04.) any address on receipt of ten cents. . One thing is certain; and perhaps we say it that shouldn’t: It takes enthusiasm to run anything, be it a wife, a business, a war or an army. -Without enthu- siasm, without that burning brand that leads men on to victory, where would we all be now? That's what we like about Teddy; and between you and us and the lamp post, we believe that if our soldiers are now on the way to France (as we hope they are) he has had more to do with it than anyone. You cannot really tame a man like that. A man like that would do anything—he would even become a regular subscriber to Lire—Heaven help him! But—aside from the horrid coupon in the corner, we are not going to advertise Lire this week. Don’t do anything about it if you don’t want to. Don’t read this paper. Don’t buy it at any news-stand. Don’t send it to anyone. Let's win that war first. eeseeee ereeees : 7 7” Special / “Biter 7 Enclosed 7 find One Dol: 7 Nar (Canadian /O $143, Boreten $1.26), Send Lire for ‘three months. to 7 Open only to new subscribers; no sub scriptions renewed at this rate. Pa comicbooks.com