Life, 1918-07-04 · page 23 of 36
Life — July 4, 1918 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This WWI-era satire contrasts four types of leaders. "Phil Ossifize" (clearly a jab at someone who ossifies—becomes rigid/inflexible), "Putitinprint" (a writer/rhetorician), and "Wholeloafornone" (an idealist) are all criticized as inadequate for wartime. Only "Mr. Getthingsdone"—a crude, ungracious but practical operative who knows how to execute—is deemed necessary when soldiers are dying. The accompanying section "Why?" sarcastically defends General Wood (likely Leonard Wood, a controversial military figure), suggesting the President should publicly justify removing or sidelining him. The questions—is he pro-German? too prepared-minded? discredited by officers?—are rhetorical jabs implying the removal was unjust. The cartoon's eagle with a key labeled "Ace High" likely symbolizes America's power or opportunity during wartime, emphasizing the need for action over words or ideology.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“AcE HIGH” Mr. Getthingsdone HIL OSSIFIZE is a very big man, And he owns a wonderful brain; He can furnish a perfectly marvellous plan, He is great when he comes to ex- plain; But when we are caught ina very big war, And the war must be speedily won, We have no time for a speculator, We need Mr. Getthingsdone. Putitinprint is a glorious chap, He can write in a masterful way; He has elegant phrases forever on tap, And he always knows what to sa But when guns bellow and_ soldiers bleed And the war-cloud swallows the sun, Rhetoric isn't the thing that we need, We need Mr. Getthingsdone, Wholeloafornone sees , far ahead, He is great on the imate Goal; He wants the Ideal and nothing in- stead, And he owns an inflexible soul ; But there isn’t much room in the midst of a fight For the dreamy Wholeloafornone; We need the vim and the very present might Of the bold Mr. Getthingsdone. Mr. thingsdone wields a very clumsy pen, And his tongue is clumsy, 09; But he knows his job and he knows his men, And he knows how to put things through. He is not polite, he is not high-brow, And he crudely hates the Hun; But we need him badly and we need him now— We need Mr. Getthingsdone. Amos R. Wells. Why? I justice to himself, might it not be well for the President to tell us what is the matter with General Wood ? Is he secretly pro-German? Is he too stupid for his job? Did he work too hard for prepared- ness? Does he hate America? Is he discredited by the military men? Is it because he advocated an army of five million too early?