Life, 1917-08-30 · page 4 of 40
Life — August 30, 1917 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes **wartime censorship** during World War I. The sketch shows soldiers in a trench with explosions and military action in the background, while a lone figure (possibly a censor or official) examines documents in the foreground. The title "Reading Between the Lines" is a double entendre: it references both the literal practice of military censors who redacted soldier correspondence, and the figurative meaning—inferring hidden truths from incomplete information. The accompanying letters section titled "These Are Genuine Letters" presents reader correspondence from soldiers and civilians, apparently selected to show authentic voices from the war front. Life magazine is positioning itself as providing unfiltered perspectives that bypass official military censorship, contrasting "real" soldier experiences with official military communications.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
blowo milea, $ yea guare write report “ Reading between the lines” These Are Genuine Letters We have omitted the names of the writers, Some of these will go to Palestine and some but we give these among many received from 0 France Me ou As Be idea how they ave ap. aaah vareti nan " preciated. I sent Lire to the Dardanelles, an¢ those wwe are tn close couch wth actin Pete one man wrote me he loaned it out in exchange ¢ war, to ow urge for a pipeful of tobacco—and we know what a demand for home reading matter at the front. pipeful of tobacco was worth there! P. S.—I would like to add here that I wish everyone who is interested in the young men in Shreveport, Louisiana, July 4, 1917. the various training camps could realize how Dear Lire: Here's a suggestion for you: Ad- ich genuine pleasure and help has been given vertise a special price on subscriptions to be just one three months’ subscription to Ltr: mailed by you to “the boys overseas.” Make it, The men in the training camps need and de- for six months. serve a little wholesome relaxation. They have ‘The idea, I believe, is not a new one, but, no time for books or general reading, but can nevertheless, I believe—in fact, | know—that it snatch a few moments now and then to chuckle would be successful. I have a pal to whom I over a joke or a choice illustration. send my copy regularly. Some time ago he was I wish the boys could all see a copy of Lire wounded, sent toa base hospital, and kept there every week for three months. In this last ‘letter (received Brandon, Vt. several days ago) he said that “the January 18th — issue of Lire was the only thing that pulled me Strathmore, Alberta, July 2, 1917. through.” Lire Puntisiixe Company, New You Hopefully, Deak Stes: Enclosed ‘please find postage stamps, value twelve cents. Will you kindly send me six copies of your new Miniature Lire, as I want them to send to the trenches? . Thanking you. Sitar Yours very truly, — —- Enclosed find One Dol- lar (Canadi - 134 Forel $1.26). “Send Lire for three months to Subscriptions to Lire may be sent to American soldiers abr a jean rates of postage if addressed as members of the Amer- litionary Forces. ce of annual subscriptions, Open only to new subscribers; no sub- inchided, for Canadian, scriptions renewed at this rate, r } s $6 nat / LIFE, 17 West 31st Street, New York, s Allied armies, is $6.04. P pf One Year, $5.00. (Canadian, $5.52; Foreign, $6.04.) comicbooks om |