Life, 1918-10-03 · page 22 of 34
Life — October 3, 1918 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two pieces of satirical commentary from Life magazine during World War I. **"Dad"** is a sentimental poem by Charlotte Becker about a father who sacrificed his business ambitions to give his son opportunities, then supported his son's enlistment when war came. The satire is gentle: the father masks his anxiety with false cheer at his club, claiming pride while hiding genuine worry. It critiques the public performance of patriotism—how fathers must smile and pretend confidence while their sons fight in France. **"Books Where They Belong"** attacks censorship. The Tribune newspaper demanded the government suppress certain books from public libraries. Life's satire points out the hypocrisy: the Tribune itself quotes these "objectionable" passages in print while demanding they be hidden from the public. The piece advocates for open access to all books in libraries, positioning censorship as absurd. The right-side cartoon "An Artist's Dream" appears to mock military camouflage techniques in trenches.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Dad” HROUGH valiant years he worked and saved and planned, To give his hoy the opportunities That he himself had missed; the luxuries Of boarding-school and college, travel and Leisure to think out what he'd best command Of life and chance. His father’s heart was set On having him keep up the business, yet He left him to decide with liberal hand. And when war came, Dad laid his hopes aside, And helped his son to train up and enlist. Now at the club he tells with cheery pride “My boy writes me from France.” ‘i his graphic fist Brought firmly down. None guess his anxious heart, So well he plays, with smiles and jokes, his part. Charlotte Becker Books Where They Belong HE. Tribune (September oth) com- plains, under a large headline, that the government ordered destroyed if found in military libraries are harbored in the New York Public books wh IN A DRY STATE WHAT HAPPE:! WHICH CONFI: THROWN, | ist, ——— Zan N D Soo A Von IN SIGHTO! AN ARTIST'S DREAM CAMOUFLAGING A TRENCIY Library. Then it quotes objectionable passages from several of them. Stars above! Why not have them in the Public Library! Is it worse to have them there than for the Tribunc to quote them? A great public library should have, and preserve, all kinds of books, and keep most of them subject to inspection, so that an enquirer like the Tribune can find them when it wants to T' 2 next thing to look for from jermany is an offer of an extra Iron Cross to the submarine command- er who torpedoes a Christmas ship. comicbooks.com