Life, 1918-12-05 · page 6 of 76
Life — December 5, 1918 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **promotional text** for Life magazine itself, not political satire. The decorative border consists of illustrated faces of various people in period dress—likely representing Life's diverse readership or the magazine's artistic style. The text celebrates Life's role during World War I, boasting of its circulation growth and international reach ("John Bull Number," "French Number," "Berlin Number"). It announces upcoming contributors including artist Charles Dana Gibson and editor Edward Sanford Martin. The "Best Christmas Gift: $5 a Year" pitch at the bottom is a subscription advertisement. The border illustrations are decorative rather than caricatured satire—they appear to show different character types or nationalities in a generic illustrative manner rather than mocking specific individuals. This is essentially a **house advertisement**, not editorial content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“CHRISTMAS LIFE- For the Coming Bear Will be bigger, better and brighter than ever. From the beginning of the Great World War in nineteen hundred and fourteen, Lire stood out for the cause of World Democracy, and during the past four years, with picture and with editorial comment that has been quoted all over the world, with quip and with jest andin every way possible, it has furthered the cause of the Allies. It has pursued the late Kaiser with relentless persistency. During this period the circulation of Lire has steadily advanced, until to-day it is larger by many thousands than ever before in its history. It has gone into every camp, not only upon this continent, but upon the Flanders front. It has been enjoyed by Frenchmen who did not under- stand the English language, but who understood the pictures. The John Bull Number of Lire carried us into the heartsof Great Britain. The French Number brought its response from many friends in France. The Allies Number and the On to Berlin Number were received with bursts of applause. It would be impossible to quote even a small portion of the letters received at this office. One very much to the point is as follows: Something that will interest and please you, I know, is the way the Lires that you and mother send over here are welcomed by the boys here. You see, we have been in several camps and each time we have had to wait quite a while for a Y. M. C. A. to get to us, so the boys have only what reading material is sent to them through the mail, and it is all prized very highly. Well, I get a package of Lire, open them up and start enjoying one. Right away I am the most popular fellow in the regiment, and all I hear is: “Say, let me have a look at those when you finish,” and then they just line up for their turn, so that by the time they have made the rounds of the barracks, the copies are well read and worn, Then quite often a picture will be real interesting, so that is cut out and put up on the bulletin board for all to get a look at. Now that peace has come upon us Lire will continue itself in its characteristic manner. Charles Dana Gibson, the best black and white artist in the country, will continue to draw for Lire exclusively. Edward Sanford Martin, whose editorials have been widely read and who is known on both sides of the Atlantic for his wit, his sanity and his sincerity, will continue to write the editorial page. Lire numbers on its staft practically all of the leading artists of the country, both in color and in black and white. No expense will be spared to make it the best pictorial paper in America. Merry Christmas tr Eberyone The Best Christmas Gift: $5 a Year. (Canadian $5.52; Foreign $6.04.)