Life — September 19, 1918 — page 28: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents a satirical story about a character named Willby and his friend Banks during wartime. The narrative depicts Willby recruiting Banks for some unspecified "work" related to a Red Cross drive at a local hospital, claiming his "office force is badly shot up on account of the war." The accompanying illustrations show soldiers and military personnel, including a "Salvation Army Welcome" scene featuring servicemen. The satire appears to target patriotic appeals and volunteer recruitment during wartime—specifically mocking how civilians were pressured to contribute to war-related charitable causes while euphemistically avoiding details about the actual work involved. The page continues on page 427, suggesting this is part of a longer story critiquing wartime volunteerism and social obligation.