Life, 1918-12-19 · page 7 of 34
Life — December 19, 1918 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes American attitudes toward Chinese immigration and labor. The illustration shows a woman (labeled "Mamma") confronting children working in a factory, questioning why her "dear father" doesn't care for them—implying the state acts as guardian instead. The accompanying text discusses Mr. Wilson's diplomatic mission to Paris and Carnal politicians' concerns about European settlement. However, the cartoon's caption references Chinese workers ("Celestials"), mocking middle-class American anxiety about Asian labor undercutting American jobs and family welfare systems. The satire criticizes both factory labor exploitation and xenophobic attitudes toward Chinese immigrants, presenting the issue as hypocrisy: Americans claim to value family protection while accepting child labor and resisting immigrant workers who might compete economically.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
EVEL Carnals and Celestials Again and almost all the of the Celestials approved M * Carnals dis jt takes some at that meant. t he does not fe ict, and if they are not forthcoming quantity and weight to suit him, he + te or ithholds approval. More than ing he wants a result, immedi ospective, that can be measured in voney. Convince him that Mr. Wil- step to France will be good n business, and he will be- America 1 to open his heart to it. But as it is he does not see any rvice to the American business man lat is likely to result from Mr. Wil- On the contrary, he is ry much afraid that Mr. Wilson will fiend somebody of urope: that he has some ideas in the ck of his head that will not be ac- ceptable to some of the high powers nd will make trouble. He is afraid cat Britain about the om’s visit © will annoy reedom of the seas, or bother France, hy untimely efforts to alleviate the pi Jicament of Germany, Mr. Carnal wants European concerns left entirely 0 settlement by Europeans. To that nd he is inclined even to disparage ur part in the war, and to say that ve made an awful muddle of prepara- tion and didn’t have time to do much hefore the war ended. He doesn’t vant Wilson to go over there and try io boss Europe on the strength of our He would have much chievements. referred to have some good, solid jen sent over to look out for Amer- can interests at the peace table. He ‘ay not go so far as Senator Sherman id, who deplored in the Senate the of the old world with which he President would come in, contact, influence: nd reminded the senators that “a kiss f a sensuous.woman has been known © change the history of nations.” but © would have agreed with the senator, “we cught not to put him into ation.” There is a use for persons who lack nderstanding, and the said Senator Sherman illustrated it. He so over- pproved, of Mr. Wilson's going to Paris. magination to see a compelling errand for im there,and the Carnals are not strong on imagination One who applauds his going must feel that he had . call” to go, and a Carnal would not know \ Carnal may assent to the ‘ ysition that our actions in this world and this re influenced by forces outside of both, it. He wants stated and precedents for all details of con- ‘LIFE: 923 = NS> “MAMMA, LOOK AT THOSE CHILDREN GOING TO WOKK IN THE FACTORY, WHY. DON'T TE MAVE TO WORK LIKE THEM?” “BECAUSE YOUR DEAR FATHER TAKES CARE OF YOU, RUT THE STATE ACTS AS. GUARDIAN FoR THEM,” did the opposition to Mr. Wilson's d parture that he made it absurd. and standard Carnals like Lodge and Mann had to get up and repudiate him. No one took the trouble to remind S Sherman that our revered F kissed more French ladies than any man of his day, but never to the detri- ment of the American colonies. New York is full of Carnals, a when Mr. Wilson sailed they were mad. Celestials are scarce there, but there are some. The further west you go the better chance you have to find them, and it may be remembered that enough were discovered in California to give Mr. Wilson a second term, No doubt they are more or less gul- lible people, but a large proportion of them say their prayers, and know what “a call” is, and believe in a little some- thing than dollars, and have faith in Providence. To then Mr. Wilson in Paris looks like a mighty good bet, and though few of them could repeat the © fourteen points, they have faith that comicbooks.com