Life, 1917-09-20 · page 8 of 40
Life — September 20, 1917 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This WWI-era cartoon satirizes military efficiency through contrast. On the left stands "William" (likely Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany), depicted as a traditional Prussian military officer. On the right, a ragtag line of soldiers labeled with various ethnic/national designations (Reed, Melchior, Vardaman, La Follette, Hearst, Gomma) shuffles forward awkwardly. The satire mocks the incongruity: Germany's supposedly superior military discipline versus the motley collection of American figures—likely politicians, journalists, and labor leaders—who nonetheless accomplish significant work. The cartoon suggests that despite lacking traditional military cohesion, these diverse American voices/forces effectively contribute to the war effort, implying American democratic chaos paradoxically proves more productive than Prussian order.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
452 Life’s Fresh Air Fund Inclusive of 1916, Lirt’s Fresw Aix Fuso has been in operation tiirty years. In that 9.26 and has to 38,190 I ported entirely by bequests y contribs h are ac- d in this co owledged . $0,631.43 3 10.00 Lean, Anson R. Flow . Atlee ‘ Mrs. RT. Sheidon..°.- Point raith Miller, Jr.. 15.00 3.50 5.00 1.00 15.00 10.00 A Friend . H. H. Royd H. BL Ww. W. Th. Lacy 19.79 3.00 10.00 1.50 zz 7.02 Mrs. Gordan Retty Howe, * Gratitude 25.00 tl. Jordan B.D. Wileox. 212222 $9,916.06 “ETF*E - large quantity of sweet corn, cabbage and tomatoes. From Miss Jennie Canfield, George- town, Conn., new dress for a girl. Would Mobilize Discussion RESIDENT ELIOT thinks, or thought on August 21st, that it would do no harm now, and might do. good, to have an unofficial conference of the belligerent nations without ar- mistice, to talk things over. He would have them discuss the means of pre- venting international war, under twelve heads, and the removal of public wrongs which promote war, under six heads. There would he no harm in such a conference. The war will be over long before any conference could work through the program that Dr. Eliot has jaid out. To collect two or three score worthy people of assorted languages, and provide them with comfortable quarters, food, drink and light, is an excellent. work in itself. Father Haeckel and Max Harden ought to come, and Lord Bryce, if he could be persuaded, and Bernard Shaw, and we Russians who could be spared from Russia, and some very intelligent Jews. And since the conference would have no power, its sole hope would be in being interesting enough to be report- ed, and divert attention to itself and from the war. Is there talent enough available to do that? Dr. Eliot truly makes a sporting proposition, and for the chance of hav- ing something new in the papers one would like to see it tried. What Foundation is ready to finance Dr. Eliot's suggest'on? Let Germany Have It XPLORER MACMILLAN could not find Explorer Peary’s Crocker Land, and thinks it was a mirage. Just the place for a German colony. Germany has several mirages on hand — Pan-German, Mittel_ Europe, Mittel Africa and others. She ought to get rid of them, and might take Crocker Land for the lot. “ANALY wife is making shirts for s diers!" ACKNOWLEDGED WITH THANKS would be glad to loan a large commit- “You're luc! Mine is making From Mr. C. F. Street, Wilton, Conn, tee from the Senate, and there are them for me!” i “tySeey William: A EIT AWKWARD, BUT THEY'RE DOING THE WORK OF A MILLION MEN comicbookseqiy