Life — November 8, 1917 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 742 This page satirizes patriotism during World War I, particularly among women. The central cartoon "The home guard" depicts a soldier and civilian man flanking a woman with a baby carriage, mocking domestic "patriotism." The text sections mock exaggerated patriotic claims: - **"Tainted" Patriotism**: A munitions worker brags about earnings while calling for the Pope's death—questioning if profit-seeking equals true patriotism. - **Patriotism**: A Frenchwoman's simple statement ("France lives!") contrasts with the worker's verbose self-interest. - **Two of a Kind**: Compares the Kaiser and "La Follette" (likely Senator Robert La Follette, a prominent war critic), suggesting anti-war voices use similar rhetoric to German leaders. The overall message: American wartime "patriotism" often masks selfishness, hypocrisy, or disloyalty.