Life, 1918-12-12 · page 5 of 34
Life — December 12, 1918 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes **William Gibbs McAdoo**, Secretary of the Treasury under President Wilson. The poem's title references the Biograph Company, a major film studio, suggesting McAdoo is as prominent and visible as a movie star. The satirical verse mocks McAdoo's omnipresence in American public life—his name appearing constantly in financial documents ("Scrip and Tissue," "Bonds," "Coupons," "Posters"), government railways, and industrial regulations. The final quoted line by Arthur Guiterman pointedly asks "Who made the rule that the people shall be kept in the dark?"—suggesting McAdoo's secretive or opaque financial management during WWI affected public understanding of Treasury operations. The formal dinner scene illustration shows McAdoo as a celebrated, toasted figure, emphasizing his considerable power and visibility.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Biograph William HE Who, pre-eminentiy Who, Is William Gibbs, the MeAdoo (Whom I should like to hail, but daren’t. \s Royal Prince and Heir Apparent) \ Man of high Intrinsic Worth, The Greatest Son-in-Law on Earth With all the Burdens thence accruing, He's always up and MeAdooir From Sun to Star and Star to Sun— His Work is never McAdone. He regulates our Circumstances- Our Buildings, Industries, Finances And Rail s, while the wires buzz To tell us what he MeAdoes. He gave us (Heaven bless the Giver!) The Tubes beneath the Hudson River. MeAdoo I don't believe he ever hid A single Thing he MeAdid. His name appears on Scrip and Tissue, On Bonds of cach successive Issue, On Coupons bright and Posters rare, And every Pullman Bill-of-Fare. Postscript But while, with sympathetic Croodlings. I sing his varied McAdoodlings And write these Eulogistic Lines, That thankless McAdoo resigns! Arthur Guiterman. HO made the rule that the people shall be kept in the dark? comicbooks.com