Life, 1918-10-03 · page 24 of 34
Life — October 3, 1918 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page documents Life magazine's charitable campaign to aid French war orphans during World War I. The main article describes how American readers donated funds to provide Christmas gifts—toys and clothing—to French children orphaned by the war. The central illustration shows a delivery truck labeled "SUNDAY" with a sign reading "I TOIL NOT NEITHER DO I SPIN," depicting the irony of Santa delivering wartime aid. The accompanying photographs show French orphan recipients (identified as "Baby" numbers rather than names). The campaign's financial accounting lists donors and their contributions. The satirical point appears implicit: while American "Santa" enjoys peaceful Sunday leisure (the truck's message references Matthew 6:28), French children face deprivation caused by ongoing warfare and lost fathers. The contrast between American comfort and French suffering—and the call for American generosity to bridge that gap—forms the underlying social commentary of this charity appeal.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIPE Christmas is Coming ME SANTA CLAUS is more than ee th d miles away from Lire’s French war orphans, There- fore, being in America, he has to get busy carly, as it takes time to get his remembrances to these far-off little one: k Last year Live's readers provided i more than enough funds to give every 5 fe : of the then twenty-two hundred oh children on the list a dollar's worth of toys and clothing. The money was spent and the packages shipped by a committee of French and America: ladies and gentlemen in Paris. They bought toys made by wounded Frenel soldiers and the little garments from shops employing women made depen- dent by the war. The gifts came to the children as a Christmas surprise, and hundreds of serawly little letters them passed through Lu . expressing their delight and their gratit American Santa Clauses This year there will he more than thirty-three hundred vildren on Live's list. It will depend upon Lire’ readers whether so much as a dollar apiece can he spent upon the children, but we have something to start with from Last year, The total was $2,030.88, to provide for twenty-two hundred children. Therefore we make this start for Please remember that the Christmas gifts are an added THE CHRISTNAS FUND! OF 1918 expression of American good will, and the providing of the Balance of tot7 fund SW3088 actual necessities for the French war orphans is a continu Live 100, ing and stupendous work. As long as the Prussians have Ss3088 UAMunition to kill French fathers the list will continue to grow and the need of help increase. The donations + q seventy-three dollars, which sum provides for the maintenance «i a French haby for two years, are more needed than ever. Lire has received, in all, $251,546.08, from which there have been r« mitted to Paris 1,365.147.45 francs, We gratefully acknowledge fre Doris Mitchell. Seattle, Wash., for Baby 3 Mrs. J. H. Cochran, Williamsport. Pa. for, Baby “In memory of Robert Andrew Hargrove,” Tuscaloosa, Ala., for fahy No. 3136 be 4 D. EL French, Auburn. NOV for Baby’ No. 314321) : Miss” Kathe S. Miller. Fairmont, Va,” for Raby 34k ty, for’ Baby No. 3149.00. eee ese “In ine Athol, Mass., for Haby No. 3150 Edgar A. Newlon, Great Pails, Mont.. for Baby No. 3rct. 3 Victor Tali 4 Co. Lu lub, Camden, N. J., for Baby Heliingham, “Wa + Baby No. 3153: . Minneapolis, Mins., for Rabies Nos, 3138 and 3139. Revewats: Mry. David Meade Massie, © he. Ohic Ht { sylvania,” $73; "* San_ Francise Chapte » lowa City, Lowa, by Mrs, Eleanor 5, Mrs. Isabel P. Clark, Willoughby, 36; Amelia Shapleigh « $73;, Laura B. Penfield, New York City, $73 Windsor Focks, Conn., Margaret F. K ‘and ¢ «Wyo. $73: F N. Dy wdsrden City, S . Nott and Miss, En ott, New. Orle Honoishi, H $3: Mrs.’ Frederick T " | Detroit, Mich. $7 XJ X." Suffield, Conn, $36.50. ENTS ON Account: George T. White, Detroit, Mich.. $100; ass of Presbyterian Sunday School, Napoleon, Ohio, $9.13: s. Charleston, W 3 Mrs. C. G, ‘Parlin, M 5 ————— > $6; CW. ALY." Centre Valley, Pa. § 5 n ON. J.. $33, Louise Henderson, Washingto MARIE RAKON, HABY 2608 LOUISE COURTAY, HABY 261 a : » Hirookfitie, “Mass.. $33 "In memory of. Mar comicbooks.com