Life, 1918-02-14 · page 25 of 40
Life — February 14, 1918 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct satirical pieces from Life magazine, likely from World War I era. **Top section:** A humorous list titled "Things We Would Be Glad to Have Germany Annex" mocks various annoyances in American society—from pneumatic riveters and poor tippers to people who dislike dogs, complain about soldiers smoking, or preach pessimism. The satire suggests these irritants are so bothersome that Americans would happily let Germany have them, a darkly comic way of venting frustrations. **Bottom cartoon ("The Willowbys' Ward"):** Shows a scene where Molly (left, bending over) persuades Mrs. Willowby that physical exercise is "the best way to reduce her flesh" (lose weight). Two other figures observe. The joke plays on period anxieties about women's appearance and the era's exercise fads. Both pieces reflect early 20th-century social attitudes: wartime sentiment, gender expectations, and contemporary preoccupations with health and comportment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
| | 1 | | ~ =| > ie s 265 Things We Would Be Glad to Have Germany Annex NEUMATIC riveters. Waiters who aren't satisfied with the size of the tip. People who hate dogs. Zero weather. Folk who point with horror at our army's morals, Professional Prohibitionists. Hat boys. Persons who whisper and giggle at the movies. ' Those who think soldiers shouldn't \ smoke. Preachers of pessimism. “LJOW are you going to support my daughter after the war?” “T thought I'd win the war first.” THE WILLOWBYS’ WARD. 38 MOLLY PERSUADES MRS. WILLOWBY THAT THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO REDUCE HER FLESH comicbooks.com