Life, 1918-12-12 · page 24 of 34
Life — December 12, 1918 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page documents **Life magazine's fundraising campaign for French war orphans** during World War I. The central content is a letter from an anonymous American soldier in France (dated October 23, 1918, near war's end) donating a 20-franc note to support "Baby Number 4000." The soldier's letter conveys admiration for French children's resilience and charm—describing a young girl learning English phrases and wearing wooden-soled shoes. He's moved by their poverty and circumstances, enclosing money specifically to maintain a child's support for two years. The accompanying photographs show actual orphans being helped by the fund. The small cartoon at bottom depicts soldiers in playful pursuit, illustrating the "good-heartedness" and humor the soldier praised in American troops. **The satire's point**: Life presents this as evidence that American soldiers—despite being in a foreign war zone—retained compassionate humanity toward civilian victims, particularly children. It's simultaneously a fundraising appeal and patriotic reassurance about American soldiers' character.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
904 "LIFE * From Right in Touch with the Babies THE letter appended shows & near appreciation not only of what Lire’s fund for the French orphans is do- ing, but also a familiarity with the little folk who are being helped by generosity of Lire’s readers. It also breathes the admirable spirit of the American soldier with _ his bravery, good - heartedness, humor and tenderness for chil- dren so graphically that we think the other contributors to the fund are entitled to share in the pleasure of its perusal By way of explanation, we would say that the letter con- tained a Bank of France twenty-frane note, which, for accounting purposes, is put down as $3.70, to start ANDRE Many, THE RAOUL FAMILY WITH AUGUSTINE, DALY the two years’ maintenance of Baby Number 4000. baby 2806 177, AND MELANIE, BABY 211 Our total has not yet reached that number, but we are glad to comply with the soldier's request in assigning grande dame” standing on the edge of Bedloe’s Island has learned to say “Sanks you" and “Good morning "and “I spik Inglis,” and she never forgets to Monsieur le Capitain. She—but never mind, you'll find Somewhere in France, Oct. 23, 1918. She is everywhere. Dean Friexp Lire: Long before I had any idea I would ever And just to save you the’ trouble of figuring from be over here studying Kultur at close range, eating bully beef to these franc things they call money here, I enclose a fe RENEE VIGNANE, BARY 2754 the number he desires, The bank-note has been sent direct ly to the Fraternité Franco-Américaine. and testing the truth of the Bull Durham advertisements | them which you won't have to pay exchange on read of your “French Baby Fund,” and was moved to the Here's hoping someone else swells my start on Bab extent of ¢ slightly and anonymously to the necessary $73 I have often wondered, since coming to this land of “ mere Tam (anonymously, if you please), whether I would ever see vre petite” you Sincerely yours, € seen many who 1 ave been the re The wenerous jarerest inthe Orphans has:not dd: hed Te ne ‘The generous interest in the orphans has not diminished with the coming of peace, and our readers seem to k ‘me to come these little children will : ¢ help that is unable to give them. Lurt are, however, Tam sure you have ard sol £0 to a my own b: We will say, for inst h She (for it must be a |: 1 i , 1 cived, in all S284.606.84. from which there s the usual features 1 8 a mitted to Paris 1,616.337.23 francs iful and sayin: cr things than any other kid in +We gratefully acknowledg rance. She wears wooden-soled shoes und t th woolen Mise Ruth Horn. Houston stockings and a blue calico dress 1h nother does the AM. Tofthagen, Fakot washing for the Sammies who are Lillcted out in the barn with Halse Jobe stm. Coltert Toro, the calf, and Pepin, the goat. She listens, in wild-eyed Br Be te No. 338% eens memory of Katharine Morri rough HW. TA. New 139 and 3396 i