Life, 1917-08-30 · page 23 of 40
Life — August 30, 1917 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"The Bankrupt Nation"** is a post-WWI poem attacking Germany's moral collapse. The text traces Germany's fall from a respected, wealthy nation to a "leper-land" morally destroyed by Prussian militarism and its doctrine that "might makes right." This reflects American anti-German sentiment following World War I and Germany's defeat. **"The Horrible Example"** cartoon contrasts two figures labeled "Moderate Drinker" and an older man at a table. The satire appears to illustrate hypocrisy: the "moderate drinker" (likely representing temperance advocates or moral reformers) judges others' behavior while the cartoon implies such judgment rings hollow. This likely relates to Prohibition-era debates about alcohol and moral authority. The "Viewpoints" section uses word pairs (Rich Man/Poor Man, Kleptomaniac/Thief) to satirize how the wealthy escape moral judgment for behavior condemned in the poor—a critique of class double-standards.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
— oe “LIFE: 38 EVOLUTION The Bankrupt Nation KNEW a nation, in the days of old, Called Germany: a aniting tad! and tan) Respected and admired everywhere: Wealthy in science, literature and gold. s To-day she stands a leper-land, unclean And rotten to the vitals with disease, Draining the cup of ruin to the lees; Hungry, bedraggled, foul-mouthed and obscene. Gone is her virtue, gone her decent name: Her's are the blackest crimes on history's page: Murder scems good to her insensate rage: In lies and broken vows she takes no shame. Bankrupt and scorned, she faces endless night, Wrecked by the Prussian creed that might makes right. Kenneth 1. Roberts, MODERATE oriner |i Viewpoints Rich Man Poor Man Kleptomaniac Thief Eccentric Insane Determined Stubborn Sport-loving Lazy Generous Spendthrift R (at the skore): I'm so glad I came. I've M' met so many of my parishioners whom I would never meet at church! THE MORKIBLE EXAMPLE comicbooks.com