Life, 1918-06-06 · page 9 of 40
Life — June 6, 1918 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical cartoons and an essay titled "Ethics of Resignation." **Top Cartoon:** Shows a man confronted about hiring a detective for wedding presents. The joke hinges on the speaker's admission of suspicion toward "the bridegroom's relatives"—implying distrust of in-laws or concern about theft. **Bottom Cartoon:** Titled "The Poet Seeks Inspiration for a War Poem," depicts a poet surrounded by chaotic domestic chaos (children, activity, noise). The satire mocks the romantic notion of poetic inspiration, suggesting the mundane reality of household life makes serious creative work impossible. **Essay:** Argues for establishing a "Board of Resignation" to evaluate when officials should ethically step down, protecting them from unfair pressure while ensuring accountability. It addresses conflicts between personal ambition and public service. The page reflects early 20th-century concerns about professional integrity and domestic life's intrusions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ith | “WHY, YOU TOLD ME YESTERDAY YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WAS NECESSARY TO HAVE A DETECTIVE TO LOOK AFTER THE WEDDING PRESE 7 “TRUE, BUT SINCE THEN I'VE SEEN THE BRIDEGROOM'S RELATIVES.” Ethics of Resignation HERE should be a Board of Resignation, just as there is a Board of Arbitration or a Supreme Court. Most men are anxious to do the right thing, and are not nearly so guilty as we may think them. But most men are quite naturally prejudiced in their own favor. In addition to this, even if they realize their own defects, they are always hoping to do better, to “make good.” If Mr. George Creel knew how bad he was he would leave his job so fast you could play cards on his coat tails. But Mr. George Creel, no doubt, regards himself as a victim of newspaper spite, and that there may be truth in this influences his superiors to retain him. Thus the man who ought to resign is pre- vented from doing so voluntarily, by his own lack of per- spective, and those who could make him resign cling to him often unwisely, afraid that he may be the victim of injustice. Meanwhile the world weighs the evidence calmly, and posterity pays the price, or reaps the reward, as the case may be. A Resignation Board might be an ever-present THE POET SEEKS INSPIRATION FOR A WAR POEM help in time of incompetence. Why not? comicbooks.com