Life, 1918-08-08 · page 35 of 36
Life — August 8, 1918 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an advertisement and book review page, not editorial content. **Main content:** Edward S. Martin's *The Diary of a Nation*, a collection of his war editorials from LIFE magazine, is being promoted through favorable reviews from major American newspapers (Boston Transcript, Herald; New York Evening Post; Philadelphia Inquirer; Grand Rapids Press) and British publication (London Spectator). **The point:** These reviews position LIFE's editor Martin as a serious, balanced voice on America's involvement in World War I—neither pacifist nor warmongering, but thoughtfully capturing American sentiment's evolution from neutrality toward entry. The framing suggests LIFE, though nominally a comic/satirical magazine, offered substantive political commentary during the war years. **Below:** An advertisement offering three available art prints from LIFE for purchase, priced 25-50 cents. The page reflects LIFE's dual identity: humorous weekly with genuine political authority on contemporary events.
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The Diary of a Nation War Editorials from LIFE By EDWARD S. MARTIN What the Reviewers say about it: “rom the Boston Transcript: An American product is Lire, just as Punch is a fruit of Great Britain's national existence. It h ssumed a semi-political rank during the last three years through its freedom of critical, sometimes caustic, speech when reflecting upon our part, or former lack of part in the war. Mr. Martin has come near to being the James Russell Lowell of the day, in his frequent comments on the conflict in its many kaleidoscopic variations, comments that have stood pat with the sensations and sympathies of thousands of staunch Americans. He has been the able mouthpiece of a multitude. One of the best of the selections in “ The Diary of a Nation ” is that on England's bulldog grip, * Hold On, John Bull!” a three page compressed statement of all the hest instincts of our kinship with Great Britain From the New York ning Post: A sort of literary motion-picture—a progressive por- trayal of the development of American sentiment in re- sponse to the development of the conflict. From the Philadelphia /nguirer: This is one of the few war books to be kept for all time. From the London Spectator: These articles from New York Lire stand for a ty editorial comment for which there is no parallel in B: journalism—unconventional, colloquial, but trenchant and often intensely serious, though appearing in what is nomi- nally a comic paper. . . There is hardly a page that does not invite quotation. From the Boston Herald: Neither pacifist nor jingo, Mr. Martin has sanely summed up the war from week to week. Those who do not agree with him in this or that pronouncement will at least grant that he does not “ slop over.” His leaders on developments of the war from the first German rush into 3elgium to the time of this country’s entry as a belligerent are pointed expression of representative American opinion. From the Grand Rapids Press: it does not matter so much that Mr. Martin is an editor of the widely-known humorous weekly called Lire. It matters a great deal that he is the sanest, t prejudiced and frankest of the country’s editorial writers. These qualities, tempered with a kindly, whimsical humor and a fine sense of proportion, have made “ The Diary of a Nation ” something that we like to regard as typically American. It is really the story of the great w how we got into it as shown by extracts from the editorial page of Lire during the last three years. It is a worth- while book. Published by Doubleday, Page & Co., New York, $1.50. Life Prints Copr. Life Pub. Co. r. Life Pub. Co, After the Battle Printed in colors on fine Bristol and Dlate-marked. Size 12x16 inches Pri eats plate-marked jee 25 The Boy Who Became a Lawyer Printed in colors on fine Bristol and Size 12x16 inches Copr. Life Pub. Co. “1 Wonder if They're True to Me"’ Photogravure, 134%%16 inches 50 cents Price 25 cents Shipped prepaid to any address on receipt of remittance LIFE PUBLISHING CO., 17 WEST 3lst St., New York PETEW J. CAREY, PRINTER