Life — November 15, 1917 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis: "Have We Moved Since Then?" (Life, February 1926) This cartoon reprints a satirical image originally published in Life on February 15, 1917—nine years earlier. The sketch depicts three figures distributing money or valuables to children, likely representing war profiteering or financial exploitation during World War I. By republishing it in 1926, Life poses a pointed question: has American society progressed morally since the war ended? The implication is that similar corruption or exploitation continues in the post-war period. The accompanying text appeals to readers' consciences, urging subscriptions to support the magazine's moral mission. The cartoon critiques persistent inequality and the failure of wartime promises of reform, suggesting that despite the passage of time, systemic problems remain unchanged.