Life — July 26, 1917 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical recruitment cartoon for the U.S. Navy. The illustration shows four figures: a gaunt, worried civilian man on the left, two women in the center (one in a dress, one in a hat), and a robust, well-fed naval officer on the right in uniform. The satire contrasts the civilian man's thin, anxious appearance with the officer's healthy, vigorous physique—suggesting that Navy service transforms men physically and provides security. The presence of women appears designed to appeal to male vanity or suggest improved social standing. The caption "Men Wanted" directly states this is a recruitment appeal. This likely dates to a period of naval expansion, possibly pre-World War I or during WWI, when the Navy actively recruited. The cartoon uses humor and masculine aspiration to encourage enlistment.