Life, 1918-01-10 · page 12 of 40
Life — January 10, 1918 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes WWI-era economic issues. The top cartoon critiques coal pricing: a figure labeled "wholesaler" and "retailer" stands over consumers, illustrating how middlemen profit while miners work for inadequate wages. The caption "I wonder why they call me the 'consumer'" suggests consumers bear the cost burden. The lower left cartoon shows "John Bull" (Britain, represented by the Union Jack chair) hoping U-boats will "let that get over"—referencing German submarine warfare threatening British supply lines. The right section features a dialogue where a teacher explains Germany is governed by a "Kaiser" (German emperor), defining it as "a stream of hot water springin' up in the air and disturbin' the earth"—mocking both Kaiser Wilhelm II and the war's destabilizing effects. A child responds hopefully that the war will soon end.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: Coal HIE war is certainly accomplishing something. Up to this time it was generally assumed that the excessive price paid for coal should quite naturally go into the pockets of the operators. 1 gentlemen raised the price of coal systematically, and took it out of the con- sumer. When the miners went on strike they burst into tears, and their heart- breaking sobs could be heard all the way to the Pacific coast The recent discovery that the coal shortage was due to the fact that the men would no longer work for the wages received, and that the only way to get them to work was to pay them enough to live upon, marks an epoch. “The agreement,” says the New York Sut, hese gives the mine workers increases in the average daily pay ranging from twenty-five cents to forty-eight éents over the scales put into effect last spring.” The principle that a few men can control a great natural resource which helongs to the whole people, and fix the + prices at their own pleasure, making fabulous money out of it, while on the one hand the miners are forced into ving pay that they cannot live upon, and on the other hand the public is systematically robbed—well, it may be worth a war to show up this principle and put it where it Lelong: “T WONDER WHY THEY CALL ME THE ‘CONSUMER’ Ah, William! “A ND now, children, we come to that important country, Germany, that is governed by a man called a Kaiser," said the teacher. “Can anyone tell me what a Kaiser is Yes, Willie!” “ Please, ma'am, a Kaiser is a stream of hot water spring- in’ up in the air and disturbin’ the earth.” > John Bull: wu BE JUST MY LUCK FOR THE U-BOATS TO LET THAT GET OVER “Gee! I'LL BE GLAD WHEN THE War's OvER!”