Life — May 2, 1918 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 712 This page contains three distinct pieces: 1. **"In Our Back Yard"** — A poem by Charlotte Becker about children playing in a backyard, mentioning a rooster named Ben and sister Jen planting vegetables and attending high school. 2. **"The Use and Abuse of Dynamite"** — A safety advisory from Du Pont Chemical Works warning against improper handling of dynamite as an explosive, particularly for those storing it at home. Given WWI-era concerns about sabotage, the text specifically warns against pro-German neighbors potentially misusing supplies. 3. **"Our Infant Army"** — An illustration captioned "Showing the Little Chap Around" depicting soldiers with a small child, accompanying a piece titled **"Don't Go Too Far!"** about a man held for blowing up a factory, suggesting capital punishment ("Death is the landlord of Europe"). The page reflects wartime anxieties about safety, sabotage, and military service circa 1917-1918.