Life, 1918-09-12 · page 24 of 34
Life — September 12, 1918 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains WWI-era satirical content from Life magazine (likely 1917-1918). **"No Middle Ground"** depicts a clash between a railroad ticket agent and exhausted civilian passenger. The agent, emboldened by a government order from Secretary McAdoo, refuses basic courtesy while technically following rules. The ticket agent oscillates between rudeness and grudging compliance—hence "no middle ground." The satire mocks how wartime bureaucratic authority corrupts civility and how both citizens and officials struggle with conflicting demands. **"The Lads We Love"** is a patriotic poem mourning young soldiers sent to war in France (Picardy, Champagne). It contrasts their youthful beauty with their sacrifice, asking repeatedly "where are the lads we love?"—acknowledging they're gone to war, likely dead. **"Oblivion"** sarcastically observes how wartime creates convenient amnesia: Vice-Presidents disappear from public memory after election defeats, politicians forget labor after winning votes. It suggests Mr. Hoover's Information Committee might eventually need to conserve "oblivion" by suppressing uncomfortable truths. All pieces reflect American WWI anxieties about sacrifice, government overreach, and selective memory.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
fi retens} neil toe ' | Sergeant of the Home Guard: WeuteN ant, WE HAVE SPY, BUT WE CAN'T FIND A BLANK WALL No Middle Ground The tick is no’ OKDERS CENE: A railroad station . im pressed with the fact that h ployee and therefore has no obligation to be polite, has, h reading the order issued by M McAdoo that, in spite of all this, courtesy must still pre He is wavering between the two points of vie Tireo Citizen: What time does the next train leave for Baltimore? Ticket Acent (ut aged ya goverument ent= er, also ail. rly ignoring his question, and fora moment paying uo attention to him): Well? Tiken Crrzex: 1 say, what time does the next train leave for Baltimore? Twket Acent: Ah, Excuse say When it’ goes, give us a rest What did Tired Citizen repeats his question. Tiexet Ackxt: Go to—l beg your pa at—Here (tossing hint a time table), course. c you say? don, sir. It leaves d out for yourselé HO. r There you are, my friend Tikep Citizen: Would you mind letting me know what the fare is? Ticket AceNT: you think I am tell you. Tireo Citizen: Don’t be neutral. BAND: H cutting down by one-half the number of people we have for our week-ends? Wire (sweetly): Not so miss seeing any of your friends. Fig What do Vil be glad to ure it out for yourself Wait a minute, sir. My friend, let me give you some advice: Let's kiss or fight Do you mind, dear, on account of the war, you say so, dearie; but 1 shall The Lads We Love HERE are the lads we love, Jack and T Ted, Boys of the roundabout Whe tucked Boys who with laug Made Ii They have ten and n we the and shout of their youthful sears all They have one out ‘one to the wars! Where are the we love, Love as we loved of old When their locks were like tangle¢ Or their heads seemed baloed gold ? Trim in khaki clad Or in the blue of the tars, Virite, valorous, gla They have gone to the wars! Where are the lads we love? Picardy and Champagne, Hark to the tales they tell Of our fearless fighting strain! There are the lads we love Under the Stripes a To SHOOT THIS 1, bring them They who have gone to the wars! Clinton Scolar IF SHE HAD HER WAY Oblivion BLIVION is the total eclipse that ol dents after they cures Vice-Ire es after they get lose th Made in Germa ve enough to suppl ¢ elected, débu married, and politicians after labor vot Much of our oblivion these days is yet Germany the pressing needs of some of her own first families. | fact. ca the more-or-le notables serve to convince him that ion throughout the whole really doesn't seem to | a ful glance around among nyone knows will there is a serious shortage of obl so-called civilized world. f the measures that will no doubt be taken up by Mr. Hoover very shortly. | Conservation of oblivion is one might even be necessary to withdraw a certain amount ¢ oblivion from the chairman of our Committce on Publ Information, although we assure you this step will be taken only as the very last resort. tie tori com tion, and comicbooks.com