Life, 1918-08-15 · page 9 of 36
Life — August 15, 1918 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top illustration satirizes high society dinner etiquette. The caption jokes that a gentleman asks if the dinner is "a moral affair," and the woman responds he should remove his overalls—mocking the pretension of formal social gatherings and suggesting that working-class attire (overalls) is unsuitable for refined company. The "Open Letters" section contains three humorous letters: one to General Haig about WWI troop management, one to a German Crown Prince suggesting he relocate to the Bronx Zoo, and one to Charles M. Schwab about preserving character while building ships. These appear to be satirical commentary on contemporary political figures and post-war concerns, using absurdist humor typical of Life magazine's style.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
He: THE NEW SOCIETY IS THE DE GERE’S DINNER A FORMAL AFFAIR? She: WELL, PERHAPS YOU'D BETTER REMOVE YOUR OVERALLS, Open Letters To Sir Douglas Haig Y DEAR GENERAL HAIG: This is just a line of sympathy and condolence to you in the incon- spicuous position in which you and your army find yourself in the Amer- ican papers. Please don’t mind it, old man, if just now we are playing up our own boys at the front and salut- ing Foch as the real thing in Hun-de- stroyers, If we didn’t blow our own horn we might accumulate so much extra steam that, applied to the west- ern front in addition to what we have there already, we might end the war sooner than it is scheduled to end. We have to do this sort of thing, you know. Have a little patience with us; we're only human, Your time in praise and immortal glory will come. + Hoping to see you soon in Berlin, Yours, Lire, P. S.—Besides, our boys are the real thing—even you say so. To the German Crown Prince: IR: We understand you are going to move soon and that the climate of Berlin does not agree with you. We wish you would pay us a visit, with a view to settling down here permanent- ly. At present we have on our list a number of fine cages in the Bronx Zoo, fully furnished with trough, three- legged stool, etc., suitable for German princes, These cages are open and sunny, affording ample protection from the passers-by, with an artificial tree in center, affording means of exercise. Once or twice a week you would be taken up and down Fifth Avenue, and perhaps once a year we might send you to Milwaukee and Chicago. If this suggestion suits you, you might let us know just how far back from the front line your hind quarters are, and we wilt send a couple of privates to get you, Expectantly yours, Lire, To Charles M, Schwab: EAR MR. SCHWA If you don’t stop building ships so fast almost anything may happen to you— you may be President. Better go slow, old man, if you want to preserve your character. It is all very well to build a ship once in a while, just for prac- tice, but when they are turned out the way you do it, it amounts to a habit. It grows on you. How are you going to stop? Consider that! Why, long after you've finished the war you'll be building ships in your dreams. It's awful! Hoping you'll take a day off in a year or so, Brinefully yours, Lire, Record ‘O! Bobbie! Just look at what the puppy has done to this room!” “Isn't it wonderful, mamma! And in less than five minutes!”