Life, 1918-02-21 · page 25 of 40
Life — February 21, 1918 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces of WWI-era satire: **Top: "The Willowbys' Ward"** is a serialized comic strip (episode 39) depicting a domestic storyline; the caption references "Molly's latest ambition" but the specific plot isn't explained here. **Bottom section** addresses a serious political question: A Kansas City Tribune reader asks whether the Latin motto "Germania Delenda Est" (Germany must be destroyed—echoing the Roman rallying cry "Carthago Delenda Est") should become an Allied war aim. The editorial response argues *against* it, stating the Allies want Germany's "self-destruction" and reform, not annihilation like ancient Carthage. **The cartoon** satirizes Secretary of the Treasury William McAdoo: a skeletal Uncle Sam figure swings a hammer labeled "DEMOCRACY" toward a sleeping, bloated figure representing Germany. The joke is that McAdoo hasn't been heard from—suggesting he's ineffectual or absent from the conversation about war aims. It's wartime propaganda positioning American leadership as necessary to "wake" the enemy to defeat.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WILLOWBYS' WARD. 39 OF MOLLY'S LATEST AMBITION THE WILLOWBYS ARE CREATLY DISTURBED ON LEARN! Would Not Do at All A KANSAS CITY correspondent of the Tribune inquires a s it do to adopt “Germania Delenda any must be destroyel, as a com How wor Est/” meaning on cause universal motto among the Allies? Being in Latin, it would be in the same language with all the nations. It would do great harm and no good. The only destruction that Germany es is self-destruction. The Allies © no purpose to make a Carthage of her. They want her cured. But they sant a lasting cure Somewhere in America . HAT time leave?” Acext: Don't know; haven't heard from Mr. McAdoo this week. THE ONLY WAY TU WAKE HIM joes the next train comicbooks.com.