Life, 1918-08-29 · page 28 of 34
Life — August 29, 1918 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* satirizes American home-front conditions during World War I. The central cartoon depicts food rationing—specifically sugar scarcity—through Hoover's (Herbert Hoover, Food Administrator) assurances that supplies exist. The satire mocks both the rationing itself and the government's optimistic messaging about substituting alcohol prohibition for sugar needs. "All Even" jokes about rural railroad station closures under new administration, noting that while small-town stations disappear, so do the "loafers" who depended on them—a dark humor about displacement. Additional items include romantic versus pragmatic takes on drinking ("thine eyes" versus "looking at you"), a poem romanticizing Native Americans in vaudeville performance, and a small cartoon about enlisting for military service. The "wanted" section satirizes social gossip culture by seeking people *uninterested* in personal affairs—a jab at small-town busybodies. Overall, the page reflects wartime anxieties about rationing, rural change, and social disruption.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Food Prospects Me" HOOVER says there's going to be enough food in the world for immediate needs, and that we can have some wheaten flour again presently Thanks, Mr. Hoover! Sugar is scarce just now, but sugar to average people is largely habit, though to soldiers candy seems to be a necessity The general run of us can get along y half the sugar we are used to, thows! onists should remember tha reat dietetic substitute for d that the more alcohol is pincl off the more urgent the call will be io r, One reason soldiers crave it so is that they get so little alcohol. All Even Tit passing of the tittle country road station appears to be an fact—as under the new railroad a istration many small country station have already been eliminated and m more will be. It fortunately happens, however, t the loafers, who, in times gone by, | used the country railroad station means of permanent support, have also been climinated. The law of compensa tion in this instance, therefore, appears to be working normally, Literal “DRINK to me only with thine eyes.” murmured the romantic m “Well, here's looking at you!” practical youth ee A WORTH-WHILE EPIDEMIC a baby these days, with nobody home. To an Indian in Vaudeville I know what I'll do! I'm going off to enlist—if they'll take me. Why not? Playing the fool, I understand they are taking them my pandering to our wonder! size over in Germany. Farewell! You—of the forest, ‘OU—in vaudeville, The moss-bordered pool, Ti war-ery, the tumult of thunder! NTED: A. society of people The war-ery, the tumu hunder who do not talk about and are not You—whose taut musel particularly interested in their own Were made for the he personal affairs. It is hoped, by mak- — Squandering them on our See ae ing a small beginning, to create an in- Hanging from rings Ll — terest in this society, and put it on a In the glare of the blue lights— Mr. Frog: aw! PpoKE YOUR HEAD permanent basis. Will anyone be will- You—whose domain was the earth! OUT, MISS TURTLE. HONEST, I WON'T ing to start such a necessary society? Ruth Lambert Jones, TRY TO KISS YOU ANY MORE! comicbooks.com