Life, 1917-11-29 · page 10 of 40
Life — November 29, 1917 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This one-act play satirizes women's anti-tobacco activism during World War I. Mrs. Greene (representing the Women's Christian Temperance Union) argues that tobacco sent to soldiers is harmful and immoral. Mrs. Smythe counters that denying soldiers this comfort is cruel. The joke mocks the disconnect between domestic reformers and soldiers' actual needs in wartime. The accompanying cartoon "Why Men Leave Home" contrasts a couple's domestic life before and after marriage—suggesting wives become controlling and demanding (the "nasty tobacco" subplot illustrates this). This reflects period anxiety about women's growing activism and power in shaping public morality through organizations like the WCTU.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ocx 11917, 145A Quarr- THE ROGUES’ MARCH A Slight Difference of Opinion (A Tragedy in One Act) A branch of the W. C. T. U. somewhere in Massachusetts recent- ly passed a resolution condemning the sending of tobacco to our sol- diers on the ground that its use is injurious to the health and spirit of the soldier, and suggesting that books be substituted for gifts of tobacco. The Scene: room. The Time: Now. Persons: Mrs. Smythe of the W. C. T. U., Mrs. Broun of the W. C. T. U. and Mrs. Greene of the W. C. T. U. Mrs. Greene (presiding at the tea table): I feel very strongly on the subject of sending tobacco to our boys in the trenches. We must take action on this matter at the mecting to-mor- row. Mrs. Smythe, will you have lemon or milk in your tea? Mrs. SmytHE: Oh, lemon, my dear! Don't you think that tea is much more restful with lemon than with milk? Mrs. Broun: Absolutely, my dear! And I'm upset for the entire day if I can't have it prepared exactly as I wish it. Two lumps for me, my dear Mrs. Greene. And do tell us just what you want done about this nasty tobacco business! Mrs, Greene's living- Mrs. Greene (sipping her tea avid- ly): Just this, my dear: we must take action to prevent any tobacco being “sent to any of our soldiers, no matter where they are. It is nothing but a habit—a nasty, filthy habit; and, as we well know, it is fearfully injurious to the health and spirit. Mrs. SMytHE (stirring her tea abe sently): I read in the paper the other day about an old woman in Kentucky who had lived one hundred and seven years, She had smoked a pipe con- stantly since her eighteenth birthday; and she told the reporter that it was the only thing that kept her alive. When asked what she would like to do more than anything else in the world, Buy WHY MEN LEAVE BEFORE MARRIAGE AFTER MARRIAGE