Life, 1917-12-06 · page 49 of 92
Life — December 6, 1917 — page 49: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Cartoon**: "Father's Cryptic Reply" satirizes wartime confusion about Santa Claus. A father tells his child there's a Santa but "no reindeer"—likely a joke about wartime rationing and resource scarcity affecting even Christmas traditions. **"The King's Cross" poem**: This appears to reference WWI-era Irish recruitment. The text celebrates Irish soldiers fighting for Britain despite historical tensions ("There's a row here at home"). The "King's cross" refers to war wounds—scars on breast and thigh marking fallen soldiers. It emphasizes Irish-British solidarity during the war, presenting wounds as badges of honor and brotherhood. **"History" section**: Satirizes wartime bureaucracy through an absurdist "Christmas-present controller" who imposes duties and regulations on gift-giving, requiring affidavits and banning wives from selecting their own presents. The joke is that despite these absurd restrictions, people celebrate—mocking both wartime regulation and public acceptance of government overreach. All three pieces use humor to address wartime anxieties and restrictions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Christmas Life 945 FATHER'S CRYPTIC REPLY “YES, THERE'S A SANTA CLAUS—BUT NO REINDEER” The King’s Cross The Irish are loyal. "LL be writin’ a letter to Molly th’ To tell her we're fightin’ for Britain—an’ say That we'll fight till th’ last of us drops by th’ way— An’ we'll wear th’ King’s cross in th’ mornin’. It's a cross on th’ arm, an’ a cross on th’ face, An’ a cross for th’ very first man in th’ race Who's a-standin’ his ground with his colors in place— An’ a victory sure in th’ mornin’! It was Britain that called to her Isles in th’ sea, An’ Scotland that answered as clear as could he— But th’ bonny bright shamrock of Ireland ye'll see As th’ mate of the oak in th’ mornin’! ews item passed by the Censor. Did ye think that old Ireland would welch in th’ fray. For the quarrel that she had with her Tommy? I say! There's a difference in quarrelin’ at home, an’ th’ way That we'll fight by his side in th’ mornin’! There's a row here at home, but we'll wipe out th’ blot— An’ with, Tommy in trouble, his faults we've forgot; For it’s water that’s warm, but it’s blood that gets hot! An’ it's brothers we'll be in th’ mornin’. When Tommy has won, he'll be wearin’ th’ green, An’ his saucy young hat will in Dublin be seen— Ye can't tell us apart from our scarrin's, T ween, For we'll wear th’ King’s cross in th’ mornin’! It’s a cross on th’ breast an’ a cross on th’ thigh, An’ a cross for th’ fellow that lay down to die— Cro: of blood! Now we're tellin’ ye why We'll wear th’ King’s cross in th’ mornin’! Mabel Haughton Collyer. History HE appointment of a Christmas-present controller was greeted with much enthusiasm by the great mass of the people. Upon taking up his office he made the following proclamation : Anyone giving a Christmas present to a relative must pay a duty of forty per cent. All husbands are debarred from giving to their wives Christmas presents selected by their wives, Whatever any husband gives his wife as a Christmas present must be accepted with visible gratitude, and must not he exchanged. ach Christmas present must be accompanied by an affi- davit, showing plainly what it is for. Children will be exempt from any rule. This so pleased the people that they had a grand Christ- mas celebration in honor of the new era. comicbooks.com