Life, 1918-05-23 · page 25 of 40
Life — May 23, 1918 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Cartoon:** A social scene depicting a man claiming he's "sworn off smoking" because "it's getting to be too ladylike." The humor satirizes changing social norms during WWI—smoking, traditionally masculine, is becoming feminized as women increasingly adopt the habit, making it less desirable to men concerned with their masculine identity. **Bottom Cartoon:** A man at home claims he's "not a slacker" because "the pen is mightier than the sword," justifying his non-combat role. This mocks those avoiding military service by claiming desk work is equally patriotic. The context is WWI-era pressure on men to enlist. **Main Text:** Discusses religious unity emerging from WWI—Protestant sects and Catholics fighting together are abandoning sectarian divisions. The author argues this cooperation might produce lasting Christian union, though predicts massive casualties before any pope could mediate international disputes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
to have the German Lutherans off after the Prussian tribal god, the other Protes- tant sects are on unusually good terms with one another and very friendly with such Roman Catholics as are fighting on their side. At the battle- front, and even in the training camps, religion is almost emancipated from sectarian restrictions, and there is a great deal of it. A reunited Christian Church is not an inconceivable product of the war. But we can't tell, No one can look that far ahead. No one knows how dilapidated the world will be when the war is over or what may he the power of the resulting incentives to Christian union. gone to pot, have gone One can say with confidence that hefore the Pope is arbiter of the nations there will have to be a lot more “Y'VE SWORN OFF SMOKING.” “way?” “IT'S GETTING TO BE TOO LADYLIKE,”” people killed. More diffidently one may guess that the Pope to whom the na- tions can submit their differences will have to represent three or four times as many Christians as the Pope does now, and be chosen by quite a different machinery than now selects him, and that he must cease to be sectarian. All that looks difficult. The League of Nations looks easier, But you never can tell, so long as the war continues, and perhaps you have noticed that Mr. Baker wants eight billion dollars for ordnance, That seems a powerful argument for people to think as well as possible of one another, and to give polite atten- tion to each other's suggestions. These many centuries the world has needed a religion that is heresy-proof. It is hard to come by, but ‘if the choice is he- tween that and a world that is bomb- proof, another effort may be made to get it, and if enough theologians are killed in the war, it may succeed. “Y'M NOT A SLACKER BECAUSE 1 STAY AT NOME, DON'S YOU KNOW THAT THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD?” comicbooks.com