Life, 1917-09-13 · page 21 of 44
Life — September 13, 1917 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This WWI-era cartoon satirizes Kaiser Wilhelm II (identifiable by his distinctive spiked helmet and exaggerated facial features) as a charlatan performing an "old trick"—manipulating a dog-drawn cart. The image suggests Germany's peace proposals are deceptive maneuvers rather than genuine gestures. The accompanying article defends shipping administrator Daniel Denman against allegations that he was pro-German or unpatriotic. The text addresses rumors that Denman's father-in-law sold supplies to German naval forces and questions whether Denman harbored anti-British sentiment. Multiple testimonials vouch for Denman's patriotism and integrity. The page reflects wartime anxieties about hidden German sympathies among American officials. By pairing the Kaiser cartoon with Denman's defense, Life suggests that accusations of disloyalty were sometimes unfounded—an "old trick" of suspicion and innuendo rather than substantiated fact.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
the me. ork hate and ime for are that get the wae the yone nind se is ison are ased »ped, dred and z at the and our ig"? | the nake Wr as | are sided f the that in- very Some eof ucted know itrals, nest. aries have states their have ns— may XUM “LIP E: AN OL TRICK have found out by this time that the Yankees have waked up, but thé mass of the Germans whom Mr. Wilson is so desirous to have bestir themselves and make a strike for a good peace. There ought to be a good peace pretty soon. Some of the ideas neces- taking shape and finding acceptance in the minds of men. Mr. Wilson included most of them in his answer to the Pope, when he suggested a peace with- sary to its achievement are out punitive damages, the dismember- ment of empires or the establishment of selfish and it exclusive economic agues, but not without trustworthy suarantees that the Germans will not he led astray through creation. The peace that Mr. Wilson wants is our old friend peace-without-victory that he has wanted all the time. But since he has started in to fight for it, it gets a warmer welcome than it did when he first brought it out. He will take it with victory if he can't get it without, and that makes all the differ- ence in the world. But if the German Empire insists upon being smashed be- fore it will make a trustworthy peace, Heaven knows what dismemberment will befall it. Once the Prussian war- masters are if Bavaria and xony choose to split off from them again and run amuck 421 there will be no one to coerce them into an unwelcome union. HE tion between General Goethals and the impatience with the fric- the Shipping Board was at its height Lire expressed a desire for informa- tion as to the value of Mr. Denman to the shipping situation. It referred to stories that his father-in-law had sold supplies to the German squadron that wiped out the British squadron off Chile. It enquired if he (Mr. Den- man) was an English hater: if he was who fighting anyone ought to he ht, or merely holding up work: if Ally or pre owas Germ Some of this informati come in, Mr. Denman’s fa Mr. Van Ness, died two 5 was a lawyer in San Francisec aw, » He and has been described as “one of the bitterest pro-Allies” He was ill when the war broke out. Someone in San Francisco is believed to have sold sup- plies to that German squadron, but a highly responsible Boston man who ought to know says the story that Mr. Van Ness did so is “ perfect humbug.” This same authority writes: “I have no doubt that Mr. Denman is a thor- oughly patriotic American.” A. well- known New York lawyer “Denman is an honest man. good standing in San Francisco. there. writes: He had Urged to accept the appointment, he held hack a long time, and finally Mr. Denman may have dissembled his love for Great Britain so that folks got to think he was anti-English, but no basis appears for the suggestion that he was pro-German. ielded.” If he had heen pro-German it would have been per- fidious conduct in him to accept an ap- pointment to the Shipping Board, and quite incompatible with the inform: tion above quoted, that he is a “ patri otic American” and “an honest man.” Mr. Denman is one of the leading admiralty lawyers of San Francisco. most « anti-Rut He was identified with the good-government, move= ments there, and is entitled to have it recorded that he is looked upon with hearty disfavor by the Hearst papers. comicbooks.com