Life, 1918-08-29 · page 26 of 34
Life — August 29, 1918 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"To an Egotist"** (top): A poem mocking self-centered individuals who believe the universe revolves around them. The accompanying silhouette cartoon shows a figure striking a dramatic pose while seemingly oblivious to a small creature at ground level—a visual joke about the egotist's inflated self-importance and blindness to anything outside their own concerns. **"The Prophets and the People"**: A biblical-style parable about pre-WWI American resistance to military preparedness. Lord Roberts, Theodore Roosevelt, and Leonard Wood warned of German danger (the "Hun"), but were ignored. Only after twelve months did Americans heed the call and mobilize. Henry Ford's pacifist "peace ship" represents misguided opposition to war preparation. The passage appears to validate the interventionists' earlier warnings. **"Willie and Rupprecht"**: A satire suggesting the German Crown Princes (Wilhelm II's son and Bavaria's crown prince) quarrel over military strategy, with one needing rescue from the other. The author proposes letting them settle differences under French Marshal Foch's observation—a darkly humorous suggestion to end the war quickly.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
To an Egotist Y friend, your consciousness is too intense You must abandon this persistent view That lays earth’s center and circum- ference In you This radical idea too rankly tends To color all that you desire or do— That our prodigious universe depends On you. There are some other forces still alive, Some other claims and purposes, a few, That do not absolutely thus derive From you. Life has perplexing puzzles, quite a lot, Whose answers yet no wise man ever knew. Tie sole solution of them all may not Be you. A. L. Salmon “Scare m1e, will you?” The Prophets and the People ND after this, as it is written, it came to pass that three men spake. One was Lord Roberts, and the other two Theodore Roosevelt and Leonard Wood. And they said, Prepare ye, for the kingdom of the Hun is at hand. And no one heeded them. Then Lord Roberts went about and preached his strange doctrine, and he was hooted and scorned by the multitude, and nobody cared. And he passed away. Then said Theodore Roosevelt, I will raise a mighty army, and it shall make a great noise. And Leonard Wood said, Unless something is done quick we shall be con- founded. And there was nothing doing. And Henry Ford, the Pacifist, builded a ship, and loud was the talk thereof. And he sent the ship across the waters, and all men marvelled. Then arose in the land the Pacifist and the Pro-German, and ruled with mighty sway. And the Lord said, Where are my people? And the people answered and said, Here, Master. And after twelve months they heeded the cry of the prophets, and mighty were their deeds. They builded ships and wrought works of matchless strength and gathered together an army the like of which has not been seen in the world. And the people said, The Hun shall be driven out from the land of his forefathers, and the place thereof shall know him no more. And it was as Lord Roberts and Theodore Roosevelt and Leonard Wood had preached in the beginning. Willie and Rupprecht HE papers report hard feelings between the Crown Princes of Germany and Bavaria, They had rival plans for offenses. Both were tried, Both started well, and ended in failure; but Willie's failure was so bad that Rupprecht had to send his reserves to save him. That put Rupprecht out of his calculations and made him sore. Why not let these illustrious kinsmen fight out. their differences in the field with Marshal Foch for umpire? That would end the war sooner, and by so much diminish Germany's ruin. comicbooks.com