Life — April 18, 1918 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two distinct editorial cartoons from *Life* magazine: **Top cartoon** ("Bayonet Practice—Let the Punishment Fit the Crime"): Depicts soldiers executing civilians by bayonet, with a figure (possibly representing military authority or justice) overseeing the brutal punishment. The caption suggests dark satire about military justice or war crimes presented as proportional punishment. **Bottom cartoon** ("When the World Goes Dry"): Shows a post-apocalyptic wasteland with destroyed ships and desolate terrain beneath towering cliffs. This likely satirizes Prohibition—the ban on alcohol (1920-1933)—suggesting that a world without alcohol would be similarly barren and ruined. The stark, dystopian imagery mocks those supporting alcohol prohibition. Both cartoons employ satire to critique government policies and military actions.