Life, 1918-05-23 · page 23 of 40
Life — May 23, 1918 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes various reform and moral-policing organizations of the era (likely WWI period) by depicting them as a self-appointed "committee" supposedly dedicated to improving the military. **The figures shown are labeled:** - Censor of Morals - Observer of Conduct - Anti-Liquor Association - Anti-Tobacco League - Anti-Checkers Alliance - Revivalist, Watcher, Army Guardian (standing) **The satire's point:** These busybody organizations, though well-intentioned, are presented as intrusive busybodies who've appointed themselves moral guardians without authority. The "Anti-Checkers Alliance" is particularly absurd—checkers being a harmless game—suggesting these groups' ridiculousness in trying to regulate every aspect of soldiers' lives. The accompanying text discusses theater closures supposedly justified by "uplifting" the army, implying these moralistic interests use patriotic cover to impose their own restrictions on public entertainment and behavior. The cartoon mocks self-righteous activism dressed up as patriotic duty.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Seated: Censor of Morals, Observer of Conduct, Anti-Liquor Association, Anti-Tobacco League. Anti-Checkers Alliance Standing: Revivalist, Watcher, Army, Guardian SELF-APPOINTED COMMITTER FOR THE HERE are rumors that th terests—inspired, perhaps, by success of the daylight-saving plan—in- tend to buck the theatrical calendar by keeping important houses in New York through the There is kind of a theory that war con- ditions are going to make gr mer patronage for the the more likely that the patronage will be anse of the smaller ion due to the way travel, which will be open summer. some er sum- res. It seems lessened 1 migr, UPLIFT OF OUR ARMY the weather grows warmer, adheres to the latter theory, and will take its usual summer vacation from the theatres, Metcalfe, sear rcnemrsrmerncne igs NFIDENTIAL 4s i (2 DENTIAL & Guia Astor, —* Rock-a-Bye-Baby," by Margaret Mayo et a Belasco.— light ¢ acted. Bijou—" A Polly with a Past.” Pleasant edy of today, well staged and well Pair of Petticoats," by Mr. 843 light English Booth Tark- , 1 amu the subject of a well ac jife in the Middle West. —" May Delightf comedy Broad! cal_play. Casino. Crawford. music show, Century Roof—A cabaret way of ge even with the daylightsaving plar Cohan.—" The Kiss Burglar.” Cohan and Harris.—" A Tailor: Comedy.—The Washington S in new bill of four playlets. Cort" Flo Flo."" Girl-and-music show of type with lack of costume the main Fitinge, — “Business Before Pleasure.” lessrs, Glass and oodman in laughable fashion put Messrs, Potash and Perlmutter h ving-picture business. f Ethel, Barrymore in, “ Belinda,” preceded by Barrie's * The New Word.” The ng in an unusually light English comedy of the day. Forty-fourth Street-—Mr, D. W. Griffith's movie pla; Hearts of the Most elaborate ‘moving-picture spec: tacle ‘with, really impressive war scenes ai the virtues and defects of the movie dium, Forty-eighth with Mr. Clifton y Free diverting "girlhand- Cheery and Street_—"The Man Who Clever and_ interesting melodramatic comedy dealing with the spy question in England, Globe." Jack: 0° Lantern,” with Mr. Fred Stone. Good girl-and-musie’ show as a back- ground for the amusing antics of the star Henry Miller’s—Mr. Sydney Grundy’s “A Marriage of Convenience.” Delightful cos: tume presentation of a light but interesting Dumas comedy fancy Lee,” by Mr. Fngene Vivid depiction, in interesting play of the day, of types of the fast and detri- mental class in American life. Musical comedy sing and tune- f Lycoum—" Tiger Rose.” melodrama telling an interes “The Eyes of ¥ well intern Well produced ig story of the ea us occult wing dramatically man’s life, ui Lombardi, Ltd.." by the Hat- tons, Flashy setting forth in comedy form of the sentimental possibilities in the life of nable man-dress: in Ne “ Seven Days’ Leave,” by Mr. ard, Theil dents in an’ interesting war melodra Playhouse— The Little Teacher.” by Mr. Marry James Smith, Rural drama with Mary Ryan a most attractive country school-ma‘ant. Plymouth ¢. Nazimova in Thsen’s * Doll's House.” Last week of the revival. * hat modernized form, of the Ibsen —" Ob, Lady! Lady!" by Messrs. Wodehouse and Kern. , Fluffy little girl-and-music show with considerable fun and melod: Reeublic.—" Parlor, Bedroom and Bath,” hy “Messrs. Bell and’ Swan. Not highly re- fined but very funny farce. Shubert —" The Copnerhea y Mr. Aus gustus Thomas, with Mr. Lionel Barrymore in the leading part. A splendid piece of act- ing by the star in an i drama of the spy question during our Civil War. Thirty-ninth Street-—"A Cure for Cnra- Mes.” by Messrs. Biggers and Whitman, The dloctor who makes money out of his’ sani- tarium laughably satirized, x Colombier.—Closed. Winter Garden.—" Sinbad" A gorgeous and diverting demonstration of the value of the xirtand-music show as a rest cure for the tb. Zicofetd’s Midni answer in cabare “Why go to bed? ~An amusing question, ht Fr f comicbooks.com