Life, 1917-06-21 · page 22 of 38
Life — June 21, 1917 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct satirical pieces from WWI-era America: **"All's Well!"** (top): A romantic poem about a courting couple in the woods, observed by forest animals who recognize them as lovers and leave them undisturbed. This appears to be lighthearted nature verse with no obvious political meaning. **"A Song for America"** and **"Converted Cruisers"** (bottom left): These mock American consumerism during wartime—urging people to "buy something" while showing converted military vessels. The satire targets commercial opportunism during the conflict. **"Inexplicable Thompson"** (right): The main satirical piece targets **William Hale Thompson**, Chicago's mayor, as a pro-German sympathizer despite his New England/Wyoming background. The piece sarcastically questions how an American could so consistently support the Kaiser and undermine the Allies. This reflects wartime suspicion of German-American sympathizers. **"Willie's Dream"** (illustration caption): References a boy's nightmare after his father enlisted, evoking the human cost of war recruitment. The overall tone reflects 1917-1918 American attitudes: patriotic support for the Allies while attacking perceived disloyalty and war profiteering.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1074 “All's Well!” HEY tied their venturesome canoc With hempen tether. The trail was wide enough for two (If close together). The woods were hushed; the pleasant air Was balsam-laden ; In dappled shade they wandered there, The youth and maiden, Beneath the leaves that, tenderwise, Reached down to pat them, And never dreamed how many eyes Were staring at them. A deermouse peeped from tufts of moss To watch them nearing ; A woodchuck saw them safe across The forest clearing. Erect a rabbit sat, that he Might better con them, While saucy squirrels, two or three, Dropped twigs upon them. A doe and fawn looked forth amazed Where birches whitened; And all the woodfolk peered and gazed, Yet none was frightened; For, through the fern and branches bent In leafy covers, whispered, rustling went: “Don't mind; they're lovers!” The watchword arthur Guiterman. A Song for America OME Everybody buy something! now, boys, all together: “ CONVERTED CRUISERS” WILLIE’S DREAM THE NIGHT AFTER HIS FATHER ENLISTED Inexplicable Thompson SOMETIME when some of the hid- den things have been revealed, and we really know whether it was the Kaiser or the Crown Prince that brought on the war, and why the Ger- mans won at Tannenberg, and whether Kitchener was really drowned or is a prisoner in Germany, it may be ex- plained how it happens that William Hale Thompson, the Yankee Mayor of Chicago, is a militant pro-German who never lets a chance slip to root for the Kaiser and flout the Allies and all their friends. Thompson was born in Boston, of New England stock, and raised on a cattle-ranch in| Wyoming. Nothing German about tim but his feelings “TTHE man with three or four chil- * dren has to pay the same income tax as the man with none. Is that fair?” “No, not fair, perhaps, but the gov- ernment wants to put a premium on not having any children.”