Life, 1917-12-13 · page 14 of 40
Life — December 13, 1917 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes female suffragists and anti-war activists during World War I. The article criticizes women picketing the White House and jailing themselves, calling them "fanatics" who endanger national security by opposing the war effort. The cartoon titled "THE FOUL-TACKLE" depicts a figure labeled "VICTORY" (left) being blocked by a woman (representing suffragists/pacifists) who tackles an opposing player. The satire suggests these activists are obstructing the nation's war aims through their activism and civil disobedience. The text specifically mentions Mrs. Pankhurst, Alice Paul, and references to women in jail for their protests, positioning their activism as dangerous "scruples" that undermine the country during wartime—a common anti-suffragist argument of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LDF S * Censor the Picketers! wry should not the censor bestow some of his benefic Washington women who have hesieged the White the District jail fanatics, defying law attention on the picketers! These House and crowded are dangerous and overriding order for ends not at all the of their professed purpose, Their wish is to picket the White House so that the ex- \ good the fails to control actic necessary lo success: President can neither come nor cept under their supervision 1 many of them are close to line where and some of them it, That the President should he daily reason have probably passed exposed to the danger ¢ shot by one of these persons’ is a very grave matter. The District police has tried The Dis- trict jail is crowded with women who to guard him from this risk complain of unpalatable food, bad ac- commodations and uneivil treatment, but they are all well-to-do women, and can all walk out of that jail any day they please by paying, each of them, what remains due of a fine of twenty- They can raise jail, so they stay in five dollars more hob by staying i jail GOOD many of these women are Alice Paul, who at this writing is doing a hunger pupilsof Mrs, Panklus strike in the jail, is the person whom Mrs, Blatch having sent denounced last: year for t Inez Milholland on exhausting clectioneering journey, the fatigues of which killed her. Another woman, whose picture in prison clothes he Herald oi the same appears in November rath, is who declared three years ago, as recorded in the f Post at that time, "Let will cainst helping the them 1 Belgians. die.” ~The she said. the tists have neither war be over so much sooner, and we Sufi time nor money to spend for them.” HESE women are without compas- sion and without scruple. They are enemies of their country. Their con- THE FOUL-TACKLE trolling desire is to force the upon other people. It is the s has actuated the I nd brought on the wa sire tl lords nvernment. is fighting the I war-lords, and one thing it dec shut out formation f all our newspapers that valu the enemy and dangerous to us would he Since our government is also | these fanatical women in Wasi could not the same precaution We censor and the machinery for out of th expedient to print to advantage with them? newspapers what it Why not sli all report of the doings of these bate women, of their activi and all that concerns them HIS is war-time, They are j fering with our war efforts, The and persistently endanger war asset on which the country amd Allied place an the life of countries Wi President _————— a enn, SIO eRE ‘ comichooks.cehm