Life, 1918-10-03 · page 25 of 34
Life — October 3, 1918 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top cartoon depicts a man labeled with various countries' commercial boycotts (U.S., Great Britain, France, Italy, and others in diminishing size). He carries bundles marked "COMMERCIAL BOYCOTT," illustrating post-WWI economic sanctions against Germany. The caption explains the satire's premise: Germany's desire for "commercial supremacy" caused the "terrible world war." The cartoon satirizes the Allied powers' strategy of using economic boycotts as punishment and containment—suggesting that the very commercial competition that allegedly sparked the war was now being weaponized against the defeated nation. This reflects actual post-1918 sentiment: the Treaty of Versailles imposed severe economic restrictions on Germany, which many contemporaries believed would ensure its weakness and prevent future aggression. The satire critiques whether punitive economic measures could truly prevent future conflict.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
{ COMMERCIAL] 4 ¢ comers | BOXCOTE Bncory AFTER THE WAR THE CAUSE OF THE TERKINLE WORLD WAK WAS GEXMANY’S GREEDY DESIRE POR COMMERCIAL SUPREMACY Hage.” Detroit. Mich.. $1 smoker." France, $40; Dorothy . and, Helen Dd, Rohnert, Detroit, Miche S3eecoz Re A Domestic Idyll Witlaces New York City. or bizette Ward, V “A Friend,” Pueblo, Colo, $10. HE never missed attendance at church, and when Sun- RABY NUMBER 3120 day came, and a bad cold, and a dismal rain kept her Jy acknowledged. s.csceceeee = at home, she was irreconcilable. Cecil A. Lyon, Colorado Springs, Colo,. 0.0.2... ih Ordnance Depot Company, Camp Gordon, Gas... the good woman was pleased, thinking that perhaps he, too, “We will have services at home,” said her husband, and enjoyed the church service more than he had admitted in days gone by “You be the choir,” he said, “and [ will preach.” In a hoarse, uncertain voice, the wife sang a hymn Then the preacher took his turn, and for one whole hour he scolded the woman who sat in front of him. She played cards, she neglected her church duties to visit and gossip, she was not doing as much for the Red Cross as she might, and the dress she wore, said the “preacher,” represented a sum sufficient to keep five orphans in France ten years. The conclusion of the “sermon” was drowned by the sound of the wife's sobs. “That's just like you women,” said the “preacher” in disgust, “you will let a preacher say all these things to you, but when a husband tries it you think you are abused The Week Off OW did you spend your week's vacation?” Services are ended.’ “T spent a day and a half going to a place where I would have nothing to do, one day doing nothing, three days with a headache from doing nothing, and a day and a SOLANGE NICOLEAU, HAMY 2744 OCTAVE NévELLEC, nany 2616 half getting back to where I could do something.” comicbooks.com