Life, 1917-07-12 · page 26 of 40
Life — July 12, 1917 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is not a cartoon but a charity fundraising article. "Poilus" refers to French soldiers (slang for WWI infantrymen). The page documents *The Fatherless Children of France*, an American relief fund supporting French war orphans and widowed mothers. The argument is straightforward: American donations sustain French soldiers' morale by proving their families survive through U.S. generosity. A French soldier on leave sees his home intact and returns to fighting with "renewed hope and vigor"—fighting for both France *and* America. The implicit logic: supporting French civilians is investing in American security. The photographs show sponsored children—babies and young siblings assigned numbers. The financial accounting lists donors and amounts remitted to Paris ($617,879.95 francs). The article notes a slight fundraising dip, attributed to competing Red Cross appeals. This reflects WWI-era American interventionism: civilian support networks justified U.S. involvement by framing aid as mutual survival.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
66 *LIPFE* Heartening the Poilus —— LADY connected with the active work of The Fatherless Children of France tells us that when a French soldier from the trenches gets his leave of absence and finds that French homes still exist and that French fan lies have been kept together largely through American generosity, such as that of Lire’s readers who contribute to this fund for the support of the babies, he goes back to his work of fighting for France with renewed hope and renewed vigor. To-day a French- man fighting for France is also a Frenchman fighting for America. We can well afford to sustain his spirit, ————————=_ for when he fails, his place must be eee ew taken by an American. The aid that #30 Lirt’s readers are sending to our gal- lant ally serves the triple purpose of heartening the present generation of French heroes, of lightening the burden of widowed mothers and of preserving for the future of France the nucleus of generations to come. This week's contributions show a slight falling off from the average, duc MARIE LABORDE, LABY 1002, AND HER BROTHERS probably to the strain on America’s money-giving power dur- ing Red Cross week. In the next mail from Paris we expect a list of babies’ names and addresses, which will be promptly forwarded to contributors to whose numbers children have not yet been assigned. We have received $106,417.53, frdm which 617,879.95 francs have been remitted to Paris. We gratefully acknowledge from Thomas Jones Davis, Duluth, Minn. for Raby No. 143 Mount Wilson © Observatory, Cal, for Baby No. 1432... -.- 73 Leta Mecartney, Alameda, Cai, for Baby No. 1433 0. 73 Elizabeth ‘Ciark ‘ar i . Mich, for B: 73 ' Eli B. Telfer, Syract Raby No. 1435.0. 0e0eeee0> : - 93 Geo. T, Fulford, Brockville, Caviada, for Baby No. 1437 «.- + 73 ie Lyon, Meriden, ‘Conn., for" baby’ "No. 438 saan 2D Giots for aby No. seis GS The child resytorian Church, Birmingham, Ala. final payment for Baby N. Seuigcel 38 Mrs. R. i) account of Baby No. ‘1365... 3 Susan and” i: ; on account of’ B. . . 36 FOR BABY NUMBER 1419 Already acknowledged $50.7 * % “SMuncie. Ind. at Proceeds, of a perfor Mary." by Newport boys and girls. MAURICE BADER, BABY 950, AND 313 H. K. Stok von Rosenknold, New York MOTHER ANDRE ROY, BABY 1286, HIS MOTHER AND SISTER comicbooks'