Life, 1918-05-23 · page 28 of 40
Life — May 23, 1918 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top cartoon depicts France surrendering to Germany, with "Kamerad!" (German for "comrade"—a surrender cry) and "Surrender!" in speech bubbles. It satirizes Senator Kenyon's proposal to cancel France's WWI debts to America. The accompanying editorial argues *for* debt forgiveness: France sacrificed heavily defending against Germany for two years before America entered the war. The author suggests canceling the debt would be cheaper than building another military airplane. The middle section, "Crime Comes Home to Roost," warns that German atrocities committed in Belgium and France will inevitably produce lawlessness within Germany itself—suggesting immoral wartime conduct corrupts a nation's own society. The bottom cartoon shows a stuffed bird, captioning a domestic conversation where Mr. Crowell uses the pretext of visiting the Murrays to deter them from visiting uninvited—dark humor about avoiding social obligation. The page reflects post-WWI debates about American financial obligations to allies and anxieties about moral consequences of war.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ACCORDING TO THE NEWSPAPERS. Would Wipe French Slate Washington y 7.—Cancellation of France's financial obligations to the United States is proposed in a resolution introduced to-day by Senator Kenyon of Iowa. The resolution provides t ons of th Republic of France to the United States of America for moneys borrowed or funds advanced since the commencement of the present war, including thereon, be and are hereby ed.” HY not? When France stood for two years between us and the Hun it cost her far more than her present debt to Uncle Sam. Let's be a sport, and do the handsome thing. It would be cheaper than another airplane at six hundred million dollars. Crime Comes Home to Roost EPORTS that theft, highway robbery and crimes of violence are very common in Germany are easily: credi- ble. The example of theft, deceit, murder and wanton destruction set to Germans by their revered government cannot but have its effect at home. If looting and street shooting sre commendable in Belgium, France and every where Germans go, some like experiments at home are to be expected. Schrecklichkeit, as the Sux says, may not, like charity, Legin at home, but ultimately it plays on the home grounds. So it will! Wait and sec! Looking Ahead HE, Crowells were at dinner. “T told Murray that we might drop in on them this evening,” remarked Crowell, “Oh, pshaw!" exclaimed Mrs, Crowell, impatiently “You know I don't want to visit those Murrays, and I can't understand why you do.” “1 don't,” replied the husband. “I told him that, so that we might stay at home without fear of having them dro in on us. ONLY A STUFFED BIRD “AND L THOUGHT LAD Bp pT ALIVE 0: comicbookssg)