Life, 1918-08-22 · page 28 of 34
Life — August 22, 1918 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the idealized "patriotic housewife" during World War I. The text, written in mock-biblical style ("Proverbs"), celebrates women's wartime sacrifices: knitting for the Red Cross, observing meatless days, planting victory gardens, melting down jewelry for munitions, and pressuring neighbors to buy Thrift Stamps. The top cartoon shows Uncle Sam driving a heavily laden cart—labeled with supplies for the "Front"—pulled by a straining horse and pushed by struggling soldiers. The satire here suggests that the burden of war support falls disproportionately on those at home and fighting, while the caption "Whip Behind, Uncle Sam!" implies inadequate effort from civilians. The reference to Hoover and Wilson (U.S. Food Administrator and President) reflects actual government rationing programs. The overall point: while women's contributions are genuinely necessary and praiseworthy, the text's exaggerated reverence ("excelleth them all," "Croix du Guerre") gently mocks both the propaganda and the impossible standards placed on the home front.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LTE * 14. She maketh herself clothing of gingham, and her children are robed in calico. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sit teth among the war-chest committee. 16. She knitteth helmets and socks, and delivercth sweaters to the Red Cross. 17. She opens her mouth against the pro-German: and her tongue is the law of the knitting clubs, 18. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and none therein may eat of wheaten bread. 19, She keepeth a backyard flock, and observeth the meatless days. 20. Her children waylay the stranger on the street and demand of him that he buy Thrift Stamps, 21. Hoover riseth up and calleth her blessed. nd Wilson also, and he praiseth he 22, Many daughters have done patriotic war work but thou excelleth them all. 23. Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that observeth the law of the Food Administration, she shall he praised. e her a Croix du Guerre, and let her countrymen praise her. W. HOWE is curious to kn how it happened that the : day Evening Post and Collier's should WHIP RENIND, UNCLE saat! There co : ftke Franl print a continued story almost exactly f the | alike, But this is not half so curions as the fact that anyone should have yy motor 4 discovered it Proverbs of Columbia Praise and Properties of the Patriotic Housewife ] , Whe can find a patriotic woman? For her price is * above rubies, I] be | fsa WC fe 2. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so tye J} - er of cours that he shall have no fear of the federal inspector For | tiles or m1¢ 3. She will do her country good and not evil all the days of her life The re eres structio ight for 4 She seeketh wool and surgical dressings, and work- eth willingly with her hands 3. She goeth forth in her fliverette, and bringeth food 6, She canneth and drieth it, and forgetteth not to con- serve the sugar. 7. She riseth also while it is yet night and prepareth | z = corn for her household. 8. She considereth a field and renteth it, and planteth a war garden. 9. She sitteth alone in the evenings, while her husband canyasseth the precinct for the Liberty Loan. 10, She layeth her hands to the mixing bowl, and her hands hold the garden hoe. 11, She stretcheth out her hands to the French orphan, and giveth freely to the Belgian Relief Fund 12, She searcheth her jewel case, and droppeth that odd car-ring in the melting pot. 13. Her household dreadeth the winter, for they know that in no room may they find warmth. THE CHILDHOOD OF HERR KRUPP