Life, 1917-12-06 · page 80 of 92
Life — December 6, 1917 — page 80: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **Whitman's chocolate advertisement** rather than a political cartoon. The page uses wartime imagery to sell candy as Christmas gifts. **The Figure & Context:** Santa Claus is depicted as a military general holding boxes of Whitman's chocolates as "munitions of happiness." This militaristic framing reflects the **World War I era** (likely 1917-1918, based on references to soldiers, sailors, and camp). **The Satire/Point:** The ad cleverly exploits wartime conditions—noting a "shortage of really good chocolates"—to market candy as both a patriotic gift and morale booster for troops overseas and those at home. The playful language ("munitions," "campaign of kindness") equates candy with military supplies, a humorous but strategic appeal during rationing. **What We'd Miss Today:** Modern readers might not immediately recognize this as tapping into specific WWI anxieties about scarcity and soldiers' welfare, or understand how chocolate functioned as both luxury item and patriotic gesture during the war.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
*-CHRISTMAS LIFE- Munitions of 7 | Happiness || | for Christmas at home or in camp Old General Santa Claus is this year called upon to wage a more strenuous campaign of kindness than ever before. Whitman’s candies are his most effective “ammunition” for carrying bright- ness and pleasure throughout the world, each package conveying, in its sweetness, an unmistakable message of good cheer. There will be a shortage of really good chocolates and confections, so we suggest that you see now the dealer near you who is your Whitman agent, usually the leading druggist, and arrange for your own gifts at home or abroad. We suggest those favorite standard packages THE SAMPLER, assorced chocolates and confections, one, two, three and five dollars a box. NUTS, CHOCOLATE COVERED, 50 cents, $1.00, $2.00, $3.00 a bor. PINK OF PERFECTION, chocolates or confections, $1.25, $2.50 ant $6.00 a box. SUPER EXTRA CHOCOLATES or CONFECTIONS, in half pound to five pound boxes, st 90 cents a pound. LIBRARY package, a de luxe chocolate assortment with a book. Two pound size $2.00. SERVICE ‘CHOCOLATES, our new soldiers’ and sailors’ assortment is a favorite gift to, ot from, @ man in the Service. Each box contains a pound of very special chocolates and a bock Such authors as Kipling, DeMaupassant, Conan Doyle, Hugo. One dollar a bor. Our agents will attend to the mailing for you, or we will do so, on ceceipt of $1.00 and parcel postage. Write for booklets of standard and fancy packages, or get these from our agents, and plan for The CHEERIEST CHRISTMAS POSSIBLE STEPHEN F. WHITMAN & SON, In. |) J Philadelphia, U. S. A. ~ Makers of Whitman's Instantaneous Chocolate, Cocoa end Marshmallow Whip. NOTE:—The prices given above may be advanced slightly by deniers oa the Pacite Coast and other distant Staces. comicbooksieem