Life, 1918-11-07 · page 5 of 36
Life — November 7, 1918 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The four cartoon figures at the top represent personified nations: **Liberty** (America), **Italy**, **France**, and **England**—America's allies in World War I. Each holds a shield bearing their nation's name and displays weapons or martial posture, illustrating their unified military commitment. The poem "America in Arms" by Arthur Guiterman beneath celebrates American industrial and human resources mobilized for war—forests, mountains, forges, farms, and citizens (clerks, sailors, smiths, farmers, merchants). The illustration titled "The Stowaway" shows a woman and soldier together, likely representing America joining the conflict after initially attempting neutrality—a "stowaway" joining the Allied cause. This is patriotic WWI propaganda encouraging American industrial and military support for the Allied powers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
America in Arms THE forests of her riverlands are marching on the deep, The spruces of her mountainsides are driving through the sky, Where, laden with her harvestings, her new-launched navies sweep, Where, hovering on mighty wings, her battle-eagles fly. Oak and hemlock, fight for her! Ash and cedar, smite for her! Fight for her, O stalwart spruce and heaven-piercing pine! Give the force she sent to you— All the strength she lent to you, Beating back the sullen foe and rolling to the Rhine! The chasms of her cloven hills are pouring out their ore, The hollows of her deeper earth are giving of their might ; While all the day her forges ring, her foundries clang and roar, And, lifting flame of sacrifice, they flare against the night. Sledge and anvil, smite for her! Coal and iron, fight for her!— Bullet, bomb, and bayonet, pledge of forge and mine. Let the strength you hold for her Thrill the arms you mold for her, Rolling back the stubborn foe in tumult to the Rhine! Her cities, farms and villages are offering their best, For lake and prairie, wood and hill have heard her signal-drum. She sent her summons North and South, her challenge East and West, And arming millions marched—and still the marching millions come. . Clerk and sailor, fight for her! Smith and farmer, smite for her! Strike for her, O merchant-prince and hardy artisan! Give your hearts anew to her, Pay the debt that’s due to her! Win the peace of love and law and hope for every man! Arthur Guiterman, THE STOWAWAY