Life, 1917-06-28 · page 10 of 39
Life — June 28, 1917 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical article by Mary Ashe Miller catalogs the social disruptions caused by World War I on American home life. The piece lists absurd and petty complaints about how war affects civilian behavior—people being loud in restaurants, young couples showing off, congressmen acting superior, women staring rudely—suggesting that Americans are treating wartime as an excuse for bad manners rather than recognizing genuine hardship. The photograph shows a woman (captioned "Gretchen, I'm bringing my guests out to show them our kitchen") displaying domestic life, likely mocking the trivial concerns of the wealthy during wartime. The second article, "Minimizing His Troubles," describes a newsboy caught between warring factions, suggesting even children navigate conflict with practical concern for consequences rather than ideology.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1102 What War Means O# say, can’t you see, when the national air bursts forth in any restaurant, and they ALL sTAND UP The hollow-chested young couple who seck to prove themselves city-broke by giggling and gabbling all the way through? The frock-coated congressman who rises with an in- dulgent air, as though he had a franking privilege on the tune if he cared to use it? The stout blonde lady whose feet hurt her? The pro-German who fears to fall if he doesn’t rise, but makes an iron-jawed Bismarck-face? The woman who inhabits the public must be a public example in patriotism with swelling and dilating nostrils? The tone-deaf man who looks h they are just getting up to dance or if it is really the “ Star- Spangled Banner"? he girl being made love to, who registers annoyance at the interruption? The over-exhilarated gentleman who is with difficulty restrained from breaking into cheers? The pacifist who tries to look patriotic and disapprove of the martial influence at the same time? The woman who drops a mesh purse, a vanity case, two , and feels she chest tily around to see if ANY PORT IN A STORM “ GRETCHEN, I’M BRINGING MY GUESTS OUT TO SHOW THEM OUR KITCHEN” ‘LIFE: Farmer: WHAT'RE YE GOIN’ TO PLANT, MISTER? gloves, a veil, a handkerchief, some furs and several small parcels as she gets up? The men of her party who spend the entire musical inter- val on the floor retrieving the above listed articles? The tall, slender, dark girl who persists in. singing slightly off the k The girl who seizes the opportunity to powder her nose? The middle-aged citizen who has bought his Liberty Loar bonds and supposes this sort of thing is good to arouse the proper spirit, but hopes most emphatically that his food is not getting too cold while it is going on? Mary cishe Miller. Minimizing His Troubles the policeman came suddenly upon them in the back alley, all but one of the newsboys ran. This little chap, as if conscious of the righteousness of his cause, stood his ground and looked the officer bravely in the face. “You boys were fighting, were you?” asked the officer “Yes, sir,” replied the boy. “Jim McGowan stole two of my papers, and I was tryin’ to settle the case out ¢ court.” “"THERE are some ungodly young men over in that cor- ner having fun with the girls,” said the preacher solemnly, as he paused in the middle of his sermon and pointed accusingly in the direction of the graceless youtlis “When they get done,” he continued ponderously, “ per- haps they will give me a chance.” And he could not understand why the congregation smiled, comichooks.