Life, 1918-09-26 · page 13 of 33
Life — September 26, 1918 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes German propaganda distributed to convince Germans they're winning WWI. The top cartoon shows German sailors supposedly sinking American U-boats, with the caption mocking their boasts: "The Star-Spangled Banner? Pfui! It does not stir me in the least." The bottom section, titled "German Public Information," presents fake German claims that American troops outside regular army divisions "are not able to fight." The text then pivots to expose the lie—describing actual American industrial sabotage, food shortages, and labor unrest supposedly caused by Germans, suggesting the propaganda is mere wishful thinking. The framed cartoon shows a German official presenting an outdated portrait, implying German intelligence is hopelessly out of date. The satire mocks German delusion about the war's reality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-NATURED COP SAILS FOR BERLIN, VIA FRANCE German Public Information Official Mental Pabulum for Credulous Reside: of the Fatherland, Provided So That the Residents Won't c Are Getting It in the Neck Until They Hav » Neck Left Outside of the American regular army divisions, there are no American soldiers who are able to fight, We laugh scornfully at the tremendous sures with which the boastful Americans seek to intimidate Such n nothin; nan press reports. figures ni RACTICALLY all work has ceased in the vast ship- yards of Wyoming and Colorado, The workmen are Incensed at the government for continuing the war against Germany. In addition to going on strike, they have blown up the ocean in the vicinity of the largest plants, and dam- ed it beyond repair. A plague of locusts has descended on the broad prairies and boundless wheat-fields of Rhode Island, whence comes the chief wheat-crop of America. It is probable that Rhode Island will have to import wheat for her own use this year. This is as hard a blow as any three defeats that the Allies have ever received. Owing to the food famine in America, food-rioters have marched to Connecticut from all parts of the ited States, and have demanded that the wooden nutmegs which the people of Connecticut have been hoarding for years be turned over to them for food. Even the nourishment con- tained in a wooden nutmeg is highly esteemed in America under existing conditions. It is estimated that half the nation will starve to death within five. months, 445 Overheard in Berlin On the Occasion of the Entry of the American Troops “PYONNERWETTER! There seems to be no end to that line of hate- ful soldiers! And we had been told they numbered only a few hundreds!” “TL cannot comprehend it, cither. Our exquisite U-boats were supposed to have sunk them all.” “Is it surprising that these oversea does this band play? * The angled Banner’? Pfui! It does not stir me in the “Look, Otto! There in that shameless limousine rides the intolerable Pershing! Yet, how different he appears from the cartoons of him in Simplicissin “True; but who would have imagined there could be such a creature as a general with a paune * “No, mother, do not fear—the stupid Teufel not sack the town, They have absolutely no rr. a “AacH, coTT! TO TINK DOT PORTRAIT OF ME VAS BUT FOUR YEARS AGO PAINTED!” comicbooks.com