Life — May 9, 1918 — page 27: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Letters From Our Readers Incompetence? Editor of Lire. Dear Sir: If you can read the enclosed article and then keep on writing spine less editorials, half-heartedly endorsing the present incfiiciency in Washington, you are not a patriotic American. You have a mission to the public. We are giv- ing our blood, our money is paying for this war, and our boys arc entitled to protection that they are not getting, and are not going to get unless the public demands—airplanes, Get eyes for our ly. for when the boys, and get them qu casualtics are known we do not want to think that deaths were duc to neglect, lack of protection, lack of eyes, and Ger- mans, To-day the American people are in more danger from incompetence at home than from enemies abroad. Say so, and say it loud and often. Yours truly, Mes. Victor D. Bevin. ‘ew York City, April 3, 1918. War Profits The Lire Publishing Company. Gentlemen: I noticed an item in your paper characterizing as an infamous de- lusion a statement of Scott Nearing that the ruling class in the United States con- ued a brutal war because there was money in it. The United States Treasury Depart- ment’s estimate of war profits for 1917 was about four billion dollars. That is four billion dollars more than the profits of the same concerns in ordinary times. The owners of these concerns—the rul ing class of the United States—resisted strenuously and successfully the efforts to tax adequately these profits. England bexan with a fifty-per-cent. rate, now has an eighty-per-cent, rate, and is discussing a larger rate on war pro Our aver- age rate is twenty-five per cent, Whether our ruling class is continuing this war for profits might possibly be in question, but it is certainly true beyond dispute that they are not only willing but cager and insistent on making money out of this world cataclysm of misery. Isn't that a case of Tweedledum and Tweedle- dee? Yours very truly, Wat. Bross tov. Chicago, Ill, March 13, 1918. 767 =e, Wer ae NO oe a, SF THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES “pouBle, COME IN NOW AN “ave! aye Mice and Men Editor of Lire: Being the daughter of a doctor, who died at the age of eighty, never having lost one pneumonia patient—or used a serum—I am naturally indignant that our soldier boys must wait for their physician to have “a series of experiments” exe- cuted on a mouse before the doctor knows enough to administer “ proper treatment.” Can nothing be done by an intelligent nation to combat this truly barbaric and Hunnish procedure of ectorsmas- querading as doctors? Very truly, Vy HUMANITARIAN Brooklyn, We Plead “Not Guilty ” The Editor of Vary Sir: As a subscriber of your paper I am taking the liberty of addressing to you this communication. It seems to be your general policy to publish between the covers of your little book some dis- paraging cartoon or article concerning the Jewish people in almost every issue. Although the words are not direct, they are so pointed as to allow for no other construction than the obvious thought in the mind of the creator. From iny know!- edge, no other people have displayed any greater patriotism in bond drives, enlist- ments or any form of loyal war work DO YOUR PRACTISING. OTHER.” than the Jews, and it scems exceedingly cowardly upon your part to publish such insinuations as belittle their activities. If your articles and cartoons referred conclusively to the traitors that insid ously work within our borders this com- munication would not be called for; but s your pet hobby to allow a mplied, plain slander of our peo- it appes certain ple to enter the pages of your publica- tion. You will find upon investigation that the Jews have far exceeded their allotment in enlistment, Liberty Bonds and war work in the form of Red Cross and relief work. Why refer to them in the same breath with spies? I enjoy reading your magazine each week, but an undis putable revulsion arises in my feclings when I come to these articles and car- toons which are untrue. Censure those unhesitatingly, who are deserving of it, and flay them to the utmost, but please be sure before publishing the next of these disreputable literary defamations that the object whereof you speak is the whole truth, and not ordinary jecring substan tiated by not even an isolated case. Try to be just, even if it does go hard to give a deserving people their due! incerely, Stoney Marx Goupsitit. University of Philadelphia, Philadel- phia, Pa, April 13, 1918. comicbooks.com