Life, 1918-03-28 · page 34 of 40
Life — March 28, 1918 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
## Main Cartoon: "Military Necessity" The central illustration satirizes wartime logic by showing a man literally using scissors to cut off his own legs while standing on crutches—a visual metaphor for self-destructive "necessity." The title suggests authorities justify harmful actions as militarily required. ## Small Jokes **"Why, Indeed?"** mocks religious instruction: a student asks why God chose Sunday—a workday—as the holy day rather than a holiday. The humor lies in the child's literal, practical reasoning contradicting religious tradition. **"Almost a Bird"** presents a racist anecdote from Alabama, using heavy dialect to mock a Black witness's testimony about running from gunfire. The "joke" relies on period stereotypes and offensive caricature. ## Context This is wartime Life (WWI period, based on "Diary of a Nation" promotion). The page mixes anti-war satire ("Military Necessity") with light humor and advertising, reflecting the magazine's role as satirical commentary on American society and the war effort.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SCISSORS Almost a Bird Bozeman Bulger made a trip back to his childhood’s happy home in Dadeville, \\ returned to New York he brought this one with him: A negro was on the stand in an Ala ut dd when he Why, Indeed? The Sunday-school teacher was plaining to the children how S came to be instituted. “The Lord worked for six days,” she said, “and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it Now has any child any question to ask?” Willie put up his hand. “Willie wishes to ask a question. What is it, Willie?” “Why did th day as Sunday for a holiday? Willie. The teacher couldn't exp —The Lord pick such a dead sked Argonaut. Ix these times many a fashionable young man is finding it hard to make both week-ends meet.—Independent, “ Live is published every Thursday, simultaneously in the United States, Great British Po Title registered in U. S. Patent Office. $5.00 a I postage to foreign countries in the Postal Union, $1.04 a s. Single current copies, 10 cents, Back numbers, after three Scents. Issues prior to 1910 out of print. ons in Lire are copyrighted. For Reprint Rights in epply to Lire, Rolls House, Breams Buildings, Fetter Lane, London, E. C., MILITARY NECESSITY Was reat Britain England, The Diary of a Nation War Editorials from LIFE By EDWARD S. MARTIN What the Reviewers say about it: From the San Francisco Argonaut: Lire on the great war is vigorous and refreshin of selections from the comments of Mr. S. Martin make a keen and incisive record of the formation of American opinion from the days when we were officially instructed to be neutral in and the series thought and action down to the hour of the great decision. These comments are well worth preserving and re-reading. From the Fresno (Calif.) Republican \ new book, “ The Diary of a Nation,” telling about “The War, and how we got into it.” will be studied by historians for y come. It is by Edward S. Martin of Lire. No one else man to say more of the things that are in all of our minds than docs Mr. Martin. Yes, the historians will read and re-read this book. The won- deriul thing about it is, we think, that the author is the same man who years ago amused us by such verses as “A Little Brother of the Rich” and “ Pirated Poems.” But now, rising to meet the storm issues of the hour, he has achieved mastery of that tremen- dous driving force—the short editorial. The proof is in this hook Sto From the St. Joseph (Mo.) Nezs-Press: It is worth while to comment in passing on the cheerful effect oi “ The Diary of a Nation.” We have read a great many painful books about the war, books that are stamped with the sad, inspir- ing but at the same time fearful experiences of the writer. It is well for those of us who are remote from the inferno to suffer vicariously in this struggle which concerns the wide world. But after we have been bruised and bled in spirit it is invigorating to read something bright once more. Published by Doubleday, Page & Co., New York, $1.50. For Sale By All Booksellers bama courthouse testifying to the details of a shooting scrape, The witness toll how the prisoner at the bar drew a re volver and began firing im Henry, Jim Hh jimself, “You say Henry ran? at one and ho ry ran to sav * interjected the lawyer for the defense. “Dat’s whut I said.” “You are sure he ran?” ho’ is!” "Well, did he run fast?” * Did he run fa: Say, boss, ef dat nigger had one feather in his hand he'd ee ngs ‘a’ flew, —Saturday Evening Post. “My friend, there is really no excuse for your not looking neat and clean.” Sorry, mister,” explained Plodding Peter, “but ['m conserving iny bit along folks, You jes’ hap pened to hit me on my se wit de rest o° pless day.” gton Star Lire is for sate by all newsdealers in Great Britain and may be obtained from gellees in all the. principal cities in the ‘world. The foreign. trade supplied ie London Office, Rolts House, reams Buildings, c ‘0 contribution pen Lire does uot h licited contributions. Notice of change of address she » be affected. and addressed eturn of uns jess accompant stampe responsible for the loss or wo: itself id reach this office teu days prior to the date of A G@D DAYS WORK THEN A GGOD SHOV FOLLOWED BY A G@D SUPPER AND A BOTTLE OF PLYSM OF COURSE KING OF TABLE WATERS comicbooks.