Life, 1917-09-06 · page 26 of 40
Life — September 6, 1917 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page documents **Life magazine's charitable campaign to aid French orphans and war widows** following World War I. The article uses a striking visualization technique: imagining 1,600+ French babies filling a large church or theater to help American donors grasp the scale of suffering. The page primarily lists **donors and contributions** to the fund, which has raised $120,318.26 (distributing 675,542.45 francs through Paris societies). Rather than satire, this represents **earnest philanthropy with Cold War messaging**—emphasizing how American charity demonstrates sympathy for France and "cement[s] the friendship between the two nations." The accompanying photographs show **actual beneficiary children** (Pierre Audebert, Gaston Dumont, Marie-Jeanne Fleury, and Edmond Ckorie), personalizing the abstract statistics. This is **not political satire but humanitarian advocacy**, using Life's platform to solicit donations for postwar European relief.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
386 ‘LIFE The Bigness of the Baby Fund R! CALL to your mind the interior of one of the larg- est churches or theatres you know. Then picture every seat occupied by an orphaned French baby like those whose photo- graphs Lire is reproducing from week to week. In this way you will be able to visualize mentally the more than sixteen hundred babies being helped by the gene- rosity of Live's readers, and gain a more definite idea of the measure of good done. If you could supply to this picture a background of as many widowed and sorrowing mothers who, through the fund, enjoy the solace of having their children kept with them instead of heing sent to public institutions, you will still further realize the practical good that is being done by Lire’s readers More than this, the work in its entirety is showing to French people in all parts of of America with PIERRE AUDEBERT, BABY 1472 rance the real sympathy ance in her hour of need, and thus more closely cementing the friendship between the two nations. Lire has received from its readers $120,318.26, from which 675,542.45 francs have been remitted to the dis- tributing societies in Paris In grateful recognition of what its readers are doing, Lire acknowledges from Mrs, Walter P. Fry In memory of Aar Baby No. 1598 0s... Clarene Hlingworth, Mrs, iiinew th as Cathleen Hlingworth, Fox Chase, Philadelphia, Pa. for Babies Nos. 1599, 1600 and 1601, . ory of Natalie Lauriat, West Newton, Mass., for Baby No. 16 seus acne Lessee 7S George Bullard’ Lauriat ‘and’ Charles’ £2 Lauriat,” Way West Newton, Mass., for Babies Nos. 1603 and 1604... 146 J. CL Moulton, Singapore, Straits Settlements, for Baby "No. 1348. 73 Miss ‘Anna’ Larrabee, Clermont, Towa, for Babies Nos.” i606 and 1607 siaeeasne : 146 Etheredge Waiker, Tato City, Idaho, for’ Babies’ No. "1408 and 1609 canteausonenanes (AG C.D. Snedeker, Perth “Amboy, 'N.J.. for Haby No. 61 73 In memory of ‘Sergeant-Pilot ‘James’ KR. McConnell, Charles ton, W. Va. for Babies Nos. 1613 and 1614... 220. Miss Annie M.” Alex. 1615 and 1616. Cee ce an Vroceeds of a moving-picture entertainment. given’ by Cummings, Elizabeth S. Cummings and Elean Belle Alto, Wemetayille, Pa.. for and. 1625. Lighthouse Depot, State for Babies Nos. 1626, 1637, 1628, ‘16. 163.1634 and. 16. Mr. and Mrs. RE. Baby No. 136s". lary C. Alexande OE 8617, oe iy sesas Miss Sara G. Verity, Middictow ‘Nos. 1618 and. nder, Piedmont, Cal., for is ies isan Miss ccount of Baby ‘count of Rabies Mrs. George M. Verity. Midi ‘on account of Babies Nos, 1620, 162 and 16 seeeeeees 109,80 Fou WARY NUMBER 1387 piety, acknowledged... - £49.86 Sibson, WV Kan) 10 ¥ School of ‘the Church of the ie napp, Miami, Arizona... gaa FOR HABY NUMHER 1005 $73 The students of French of the Dodge School of Languages, San Francisco, Cal., by Faith Hunter Dodge. 2 $36. G. Z Knapp, Miami, Arizona Rob mory 6 ft Alfr 35 1 Mrs. John Briggs, 49 FOR BARY NUMBER 1612 $73 War Relief Association, Charleston, W. $69 y of Sergeant-Pilot James R. McConnell, Chariest Vac: 4 FOR BABY NUMBER 1610 $73 Mz. and Mrs. John Briggs, Newton Centre, Mass seve $5.51 * The Three Babies of Weedhaven, Dorval, P,Q.” 6 Waldo C. gute, Wollaston, Mass. s AMLETTE SAINGUEKY, BABY 1376, AND NEK BROTHER BABY 1049 GASTON DUMONT, MARIE-JEANNE FLEURY, BABY 1204 EDMOND CKORIE, BABY 1353, AND MIS BROTHER comicbooks Corny