Life, 1917-06-21 · page 5 of 38
Life — June 21, 1917 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising and corporate content** rather than political satire. The left side features a lengthy prayer criticizing Prussians, enemies of decency, and international lawlessness—likely referencing **World War I** (the references to Prussia and "unclean beasts" suggest anti-German sentiment from that era). Below is a **White Horse Scotch whisky ad** and a **Cortez Cigars advertisement**. The main content is a **Bell System telephone company advertisement** boasting about 20 million miles of telephone wire—positioned as an achievement of American infrastructure and progress. It emphasizes the Bell System's superiority over European telephone networks. Bottom right contains a **Sexology book advertisement**, unrelated to the page's other content. The page reflects early 20th-century American corporate advertising and wartime messaging rather than editorial satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Prayer ODS of the pen and ink-well, grant to us, thy children, the power to coat our pens with venom and dip them in vitriol for use against the Prussians, the enemies of decency and the be- foulers of the earth. Give unto us, we pray, the strength to write co- herently when the acts of these our enemies are such as to make us see red with rage, and to cause our hands to shake with a palsy of loathing and with the desire to rid the world of an unclean beast. Let us not forget, we humbly beg, the years of torment, the millions of bleeding hearts, the dese- crated shrines, the broken treaties, the defiance of international law, the deso- lated homes, the oppressed peoples, the murdered children, the outraged wom- en, and the countless crimes against God and man for which the Hohen- zollerns and their creatures are re- sponsible. Keep these things green in our hearts, and in the hearts of all men, in the years to come, so that we may impart them to our children and to our children’s children, and teach them to protect themselves from the wrath, the agony and the torment which is now ours. Grant, too, that none of thy children shall be so de- luded as to attempt to defend the filth and degradation of Prussianism from the righteous anger of the peoples of SCOTCH “The PRIDE wie SONS the ARMY” CGH CGS -MADE AT KEY WEST— The telephone wire in use in the Bell System is long enough to run from the earth to the moon and back again forty times. The Bell System has about twice | as much telephone wire as all Europe. More than 500,000 new telephones | are being added to the Bell System yearly—almost as many as the total number of telephones in England. In twelve months the Bell System adds enough telephones to duplicate Pa the earth. These things we ask in Humanity’s name, Amen. Monotony of Work AY, Bill, wot yer lookin’ fer?” “Work! Nuffink but work, work, from mornin’ till night.” “How long have yer been at it?” so sick work, “Start in the mornin’.” One System Twenty Million Miles of Telephone Wire the entire telephone systems of France, Italy and Switzerland combined. In proportion to population the extension of the Bell System in the United States is equal in two years to the total telephone progress of Europe since the telephone was in- vented—a period of about forty years. The Beil System fills the telephone needs of the Aimerican people with a thoroughness and a spirit of public service which are without parallel the world over. AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY AND ASSOCIATED COMPANIES Universal Service SEXOLOGY by William H. Walling, A.M., M.D. imparts in a clear, wholesome way, in one volume: Koowledce a Yount Mas Should lave. Keveeee ion Hasband Sheold Have. Matar Sheed leer fe Her Dower 2 Wile Sead Hae, ale at Contents, || PURITAN’ PUB. CO.. ‘797 PERRY “bbe. PHILA., comicbooks.com