Life, 1917-11-22 · page 13 of 44
Life — November 22, 1917 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The cartoon depicts a submarine captain addressing a large group of walruses or seals on an Arctic ice floe. The captain declares he will "make plenty exposures" and take photos to "prove to our folks in der Faderland that we have conquered der world and that we Germans are everywhere, even in der Arctics." This is **WWI-era German satire**. The exaggerated German accent and boastful militarism mock German imperial ambitions and propaganda efforts. The absurdity of a German submarine commander photographing Arctic animals as "proof" of conquest ridicules German claims of worldwide dominance. The accompanying text discusses a previous Life cartoon by Otho Cushing showing East Side Hebrews, clarifying that Life intended no anti-Semitic message—merely contrasting American soldiers' sacrifice with foreign volunteers' participation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Submarine Captain: MAKE PLENTY EXPOSURES, LIEUTENANT, DOSE PHOTOS VILL BE JUST DER THING TO PROVE TO OUR FOLKS IN DER FADERLAND THAT WE HAVE CONQUERED DER WORLD AND THAT WE GERMANS ARE EVERYWHERE, EVEN IN DER ARCTICS. A Misinterpretation and an Explanation N Lire of October 25th appeared a picture by Otho Cush- ing in which a group of East Side Hebrews were com- menting upon three American soldiers who were passing. This picture has been misinterpreted by a Hebrew friend, from whose letter we quote T have been a reader of Lire for many years, and its champion at times when there scemed room for doubt regarding the fairness of some of its expres- sions. . . . Can you feel that it is consistent with loyalty to the nation at war to hold up to ridicule and libel as slackers an integral part of the nation which, along with the rest, is sacrificing lives and fur- nishing resources for the country’s cause? Is it fair encouragement to the thousands cf Jews in the army preparing for the trenches? Mr. Cushing's picture, as published in Lire, was intended only to convey the contrast between the American boy who has volunteered for the war and those East Side foreigners of many nationalities, thousands of whom infest Fifth Ave- nue during the noon hour, and, so far as our personal obser- vation goes, have betrayed no inclination to fight for the country from which they derive their living. It was in- tended solely as a local picture. It was not intended to be any reflection upon Jews as a race. On the contrary, it is a fact which Lire is glad to record, that the Jews have responded nobly and generously to the country’s call, and a large proportion of Jewish citizens will fight bravely side by side with other American boy's. But our friend was right. As it appeared in Lire, this picture conveyed, undoubtedly, a wrong impression. MINISTER at a certain college inquired of a return- ing student in regard to the studies for the year “Tam majoring in German,” proudly the youth said “Well, that is interesting in these times,” responded the parson, “I have a son who has not yet attained to such linguistic laurels; he is only privating in France.” comicbooks.com