Life, 1917-08-23 · page 22 of 40
Life — August 23, 1917 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces from WWI-era Life magazine: **"Babette"** (poem by Kenneth L. Roberts): A romantic narrative mocking American soldiers in France. Private Brown arrives to fight Germans with patriotic fervor, only to be immediately distracted by a French girl who "hugs and kisses" him. The joke: he came seeking "Freedom" but becomes "a slave to the sweet Babette," satirizing soldiers' notorious romantic entanglements in Paris. **"Talk and Success":** A political commentary likely responding to Russia's 1917 revolution, mocking the new Russian government's emphasis on open discussion. The author argues that endless talk (like Russia's) prevents action and success. He contrasts this with George Washington's taciturn effectiveness, suggesting Russia should "stop talking and get to work"—implying the revolutionary government talks too much and accomplishes too little. **"They Always Cheer":** A brief joke about recruitment: those cheering soldiers' departures are civilians staying behind—dark humor about wartime sacrifice.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
302 “LIFE: Babette “TAM fighting for Freedom,” said Private Brown, As he thrust out his square-hewn jaw. “T have come here to shoot at the Prussian brute Asa lover of order and law!” Then this sturdy Yankee in olive drab Marched away through that gay Paree, ’Mid the frantic cheers and the joyous tears For the soldiers from over-sea. But into the ranks burst the sweet Babette With eyes that were filled with mist; And ere Private Brown had a chance to frown, He was thoroughly hugged and kissed. Now the sweet Babette had a freckled nose, But her hair was like yellow silk, And the blue of her eye matched the cloudless sky, And her throat was as white as mitk. “What a pickle I'm in!” remarked Private Brown: “Tt was Freedom I came to get; But I plainly see I shall always be A slave to the sweet Babette! Kenneth L. Roberts, Talk and Success ECENT cable despaiches from Russia inform us that the nation is pervaded by a spirit of contentment, and that everybody is allowed to talk all he wants to. The im- pression conveyed is that the nation is happy because of the unrestricted talk-festa. If this is the case, Russia’s ate Sarah: CAPTAIN, WE GIRLS W. happiness cannot last; for happiness, founded on talk Dy Bee ace out ee ae alone, is as transient and evanescent as lemon meringue pie. The father of thi: ion is generally acknowl- edged to be George Washington; and what he ac- complished, he did by setting his teeth, compressing his lips and fighting with unbridled tenacity and fluency. Meanwhile, he was hindered at every turn by the Continental Congress, one of the most ener- getic and enthusiastic aggregations of talkers ever brought together. If their talk had prevailed, this nation would have stood an excellent chance of be- ing deposited on the rocks with great violence, and of becoming extremely and irrevocably defunct. The successful man and the successful nation usually attain their success with a minimum of talk and a maximum of action. If there are any students of history in the Provisional Russian Government, they ought to be awakening to the fact that it is high time for everybody in Russia to stop talking and get to work, They Always Cheer the regiment was leaving, and a crowd cheer- ing, a recruit asked: “ Who are all those people who are cheering?” yaad “They,” replied the veteran, * are the people who “on! WE'KE sO GLAv you FOUND Him!” are not goin comicbooks Gain