Life, 1918-03-07 · page 9 of 40
Life — March 7, 1918 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a one-act dramatic satire titled "A German Peace," depicting a confrontation between two female allegorical figures: **Germania** (representing Germany, shown in military regalia on the right) and **Civilization** (shown in classical dress on the left). The scene parodies post-World War I peace negotiations. Civilization demands reparations for destroyed homes, murdered relatives, and looted property. Germania laughs off these demands and refuses to open the door—a metaphor for Germany's reluctance to accept responsibility or make amends. The satire mocks Germany's defiant attitude toward war guilt and the Allied powers' expectations for accountability. Written by Kenneth L. Roberts, this reflects American frustration with German obstinacy during the Versailles Treaty period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ERSONS: Germania and Civiliza- tion. Scene lization’s residence. (Germania is discovered on the front stoop, rattling the doorknob energeti- cally and pushing diligently at the door- bell. Civilization appears, en negligée.) The front entrance to Civi- Gramanra: Please may I come in? C ATION (startled): But aren't you the person who blew open my safe and stole all my money? JERMANIA (indifferently) : ly: I did that, Ciiuization (indignantly): Good heavens, madam! I can’t let you in! Why, for all 1 know, you may be the one who broke my furniture and Certain- “May I come in?” A German Peace (A Tragedy in One Act) windows with” rocks. Yes, I was responsible. Please open the door. I would like to come in now. Civinization (in wild excitement) : Then you must be the one who poisoned my relatives and killed my children! Germania (wearily): Of course I am! When are you going to open the door? Civitization (gritting her teeth): And did you set fire to my garage, take all my table silver, shoot my dog, drown my cat and rip up my vegetable garden? Germania: To be sure! that to do with it? Civitization (gasping for breath): smashed my GERMANIA: What has Will you repay me for the injury you have done me? Germania (laughing harshly): 1 should say not! Civiuization (rolling her eyes in a frenzy): Well, you're sorry for what you've done, aren't you? GeRMANIA (belligerently) : bit! Civiuization (faintly): And yet you want to come right and sit around the library table with the remnants of my family? GeRMANIA (impatiently): Yes, you poor fool! Open the door, before. I kick it in! (Shell-torn and blood-stained curtain) Kenneth L. Roberts. Not a comicbooks.com