Life, 1917-12-27 · page 19 of 41
Life — December 27, 1917 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a small man in formal dress approaching large tigers lounging outside ornate city buildings. The title references Germany's imperial ambitions (Kaiser Wilhelm II famously declared Germany's right to "a place in the sun" in global affairs). **The satire**: The man represents either an Allied diplomat or Britain, while the tigers represent German military power. The cartoon mocks Germany's aggressive territorial claims and military posturing during WWI. The tigers' comfortable lounging suggests Germany's confidence despite military setbacks mentioned in the accompanying text. **Context**: The "War Notes" section references Lord Northcliffe (British press magnate), German propaganda claims of victories, wartime food rationing, and Bernard Shaw's controversial pacifist stance. The humor relies on readers' familiarity with WWI tensions, German imperial rhetoric, and contemporary political figures. The page's other jokes address domestic wartime hardships: rationing confusion and economic uncertainty during the conflict.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
te and me of upon duty, ring- rward rd. that self. reat “tere { | i A PLACE IN THE SUN War Notes HE eternal law of compensation is illustrated anew in the case of Lord Northcliffe. The total volume of his criticism of the British government is, so far as careful observation can judge, precisely equalled by the volume of criticism directed against him. Every time the British and French push back the Huns Mr. Hohenzollern announces another victory for Germany. But the greatest victory of all for Germany will be when the Allies march into Berlin. The restaurants ought to more than make up in increased profits what they lose in the aggregate of food sold. Where su was formerly dealt out freely, without charge, now it is either restricted or charged for. In either case the restaurant is ahead. Wanted: Whereabouts of one Bernard Shaw, who at one time was a prominent agitator. British internment camps kindly reply. It is proposed to abandon mourning, and in place of it substitute a gold star. But it is doubtful if such an idea will become universal. It is too sensible for common use. To read the New York Stat, one would think that Lord Landsdowne wrote President Wilson's messages. A Hard Problem ILLIS: What are you doing with all those charts and time-tables? Guts: Those charts are lists of the various meatless, wheatless and butterless days in the various states. I'm trying to figure out a trip whereby I can get a ham sand- wich once a month. Signs “LD)O you know, I believe that the Count is getting inter- ested in Adele.” “What makes you think so?” “Well, yesterday he borrowed five hundred from me.” comicbooks.com