Life, 1917-09-20 · page 24 of 40
Life — September 20, 1917 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical page from *Life* contains several distinct pieces mocking contemporary American attitudes during the World War I era. **"New Thought Proverbs"** parodies self-help philosophy by reversing famous sayings ("A rolling thought gathers no moss," "A thought in time saves nine"), satirizing the era's popular "New Thought" movement—a quasi-spiritual belief system emphasizing positive thinking. **"Those Literary Centenaries"** mocks the pretentious practice of celebrating deceased authors' anniversaries. The satire argues that literary celebrations encourage people to actually *read* classic authors, which ruins their reputations—a joke about how familiarity with old literature reveals it contains ideas we credit to ourselves. **"War Products That Induce Illness"** satirizes American home-front morale problems. It lists grievances (suffragettes, the IWW labor movement, government reluctance regarding "traitors") as causes of national illness, concluding with a joke about women testing wartime recipes as their contribution to the war effort—mocking both women's limited war roles and the government's focus on civilian rationing. The sketched scenes labeled "In Ireland," "In Turkey," etc., appear to depict wartime devastation abroad, ironically titled "The End of a Perfect Day."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
468 New Thought Proverbs \WHERE there's a thought there's a way. Beauty is only thought deep. \ rolling thought gathers no moss. \ thought in time saves nine. \ little thinking is a dangerous thing It’s a long thought that has no turning, One good thought deserves another, Handsome is as handsome thinks. Don't cross a thought until you come to it A thought can rise no higher than its source, Cast your thoughts upon the waters and they will come back after many days. Never too late to think. Those Literary Centenaries OME — public- spirited — individual for really ought to endow a societ: the suppression of literary centenaries. The great masters, so far as most are concerned, are meant to people revere! not to read. As long as, carefully confined to sub: they are used to fill in ¢ book-shelves, the: acceptably and add a ription sets, ant spaces serve their ont purpose very convenient atmosphere of culture to ing part of ner in. which the home. But the ay centenaries is the mani they induce people to look between the covers. So surely as this inclination is indulged, a literary idol is shattered. For, familiar as we are with the cur- rent literature of the day, we cannot then, in conscience, retain any regard for dygone authors. Even the most cursory perusal is suflicient to. prove that they have wantonly appropriated all our newest and most brilliant ideas. War Products That Induce Illness NATOR STONE. The suffragettes outside the White ollette. The attitude of the 1. W. W. The reluctance of the government to shoot traitors. " HY don’t you do your bit?” “Ye gods! I am! My wife is testing every war-time recipe.” mr TY Mt hy 1} \ (pill \ It The = AM Underworld o “THE END OF A PERFECT DAY" ee In Belgtum | } Tomicnock ag