Life, 1918-04-04 · page 29 of 40
Life — April 4, 1918 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page uses two parallel "historic boys" characters—biblical David (left) and Newton (right)—to satirize Germany during World War I. The left cartoon, titled "Dare-Devil David," lists ten things Germany *has* learned through military defeats: France isn't weak, Americans will fight, German submarines attacking Red Cross ships backfire diplomatically, and atrocities don't win sympathy. The right cartoon, "Optimistic Newton," inverts this, listing what Germany *hasn't* learned: disregard for international law, disrespect for civilians, treaty-breaking, and belief in military superiority. The satire's point: Germany stubbornly refuses moral lessons from its wartime conduct—attacking neutral ships, targeting civilians, committing documented atrocities—yet remains convinced it can win. The cartoonist suggests Germany's fundamental moral blindness prevents it from grasping that such actions ensure lasting international condemnation and future conflict.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HISTORIC BOYS DARE-DEVIL DAVID Ten Things That Germany Has Leamed in This War 1, THAT France isn't decadent *2. That it’s harder for a German to take dinner in Paris than was generally supposed. 3. That the Kaiser could never be elected President of the United States. 4. That some people have a peculiar and unreasonable detestation of Kultur s. That Americans will fight. 6. That the Hohenzollerns can fool all of the German people all of the time 7. That if Gott is mit uns, as advertised, he frequently takes a vacati 8 That the sinking of Red Cross ships by German sub- marines doesn't help the Germans to 1 greater enjoyment of horse-meat 9. That news of a poisoned well or a bombed orphan asylum is a poor substitute for butter. 10. That the Kaiser's six sons are as healthy, wealthy, unwounded and wise as they were before the war OPTIMISTIC NEWTON Ten Things That Germany Has Not Learned in This War | THAT the psychology of civilized people is different * from that of Huns 2. That there is any necessity for observing interna- tional law or the rights of neutrals. 3. That there is anything to be gained hy telling the truth, 4. That women and children are entitled to the slight- est respect or consideration. 5. That there is any reason why Germany shouldn't break treaties if she feels like doing so. 6. That Germany will be despised by the rest of the world for generations to come. 7. That Germany can’t win the war. 8. That Germany won't be given the opportunity of starting another. 9. That a nation can be guilty of wholesale murder, robbery, treachery and rape, and escape unscathed, 10. That it will be the greatest day in the history of the world when Germany finally admits that she's whipped. comicbooks.com