Life, 1917-12-06 · page 35 of 92
Life — December 6, 1917 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine (page 931) contains two distinct pieces reflecting World War I-era American attitudes: **The "Local Canine Society" Column** is satirical social commentary using dog breeds as stand-ins for human society types. The opening line—"Dachshunds have been interned on account of their pro-German activities"—references the actual internment of German immigrants and German-Americans during WWI. Other entries humorously report on various dog "families" (Boston Bulls, Pekingese, etc.), mimicking society column gossip while subtly mocking wartime xenophobia and the absurdity of treating pets as enemy sympathizers. **"Our First War-Christmas"** is a sentimental poem about soldiers overseas. It contrasts material gifts with the emotional value of letters from troops at "the fleet, the trench, the camp," emphasizing that correspondence from soldiers is more precious than luxury items. The illustration shows a massive Christmas turkey, captioned "It will take some Christmas turkey to go 'round," likely alluding to rationing or food scarcity during wartime. Both pieces reflect American homefront experience during WWI's early years.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Christmas Life 931 Our Local Canine Society Column HE Dachshunds have been interned on account of their pro-German activities. Mr. and Mrs. W. H. F. Terrier have recently made the round of all the out- lying bone resorts, returning from their travels much rejuvenated. Mr. S. Collie is visiting the Airedale Terriers. Mr. and Mrs. Chow had their pagoda broken into Saturday evening. Several valuable hones were stolen, one of them a family heirloom. The Beagles have gone hunting in the Adirondacks. Mr. Gyp Poodle, of the celebrated Gaelic Poodle family, came near los- ing his life last week by getting caught in an uptown fashionable squir- rel hole. The Greyhounds are touring New England Mr. and Mrs. J. Boston Bull received congratulations yesterday on the addi- tion of five more to thei merous family. The Misses Pekinese have a new already nu- limousine. The Great Danes are wintering in Little Neck. Young Miss St. Bernard has entered Red-Cross work. She will sail for France shortiy The F. Montg gone th aiter Mr. and Mrs. Cocker their new swimming pool last week. esent Mr. and Miss Sniitie A\t the opening were Mrs. T. Gruntyng Pu; Pugg, Miss Nosey Pugg IT WILL TAKE SOME CHRISTMAS TURKEY TO GO "ROUND Scotty of Yorkshire. young Mr. Ou First War-Christmas Y H ARD to wait for the postman’s tramp Oh, not jewels nor Up the snowy walk, for the hand that gropes Of art and fashion, no gift most rare Deep in his pack, while the children tease Can gladden, those eyes that weep in the hush For the rainbow-ribboned packages, Of lonely nights, can bring the flush And women wax faint with their fearful hopes To faces white with their silent prayer. ‘or those tattered, grimy envelopes Like the letters, precious beyond compare, With the foreign stamp— From our soldier-boys— Word, dear word from over § Letters to laugh over, cry over, crush From the fleet, the trench, the camp. To the lips—our Christmas joys. Katharine Lee comicbooks.com