Life, 1919-01-09 · page 14 of 34
Life — January 9, 1919 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes American perceptions of Russia following a brief study visit. The main cartoon depicts a standing American businessman or diplomat literally stepping on and crushing a figure labeled "Secret Diplomacy," suggesting American confidence and dominance over Russian diplomatic methods. The accompanying article mocks a Russian woman writer's observations of America, noting she confused Russian cities and made naive comparisons. The smaller cartoon below shows a soldier confronting a politician, captioned about fighting for ideals and expecting recognition—likely critiquing political hypocrisy regarding veterans' treatment. The overall tone is dismissive of foreign (particularly Russian) perspectives on America while satirizing American self-regard and political duplicity regarding promises to soldiers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
50 America After Two Weeks of Study RESPECTABLE the Evening Russia to weeks’ woman- Pi spce Something from described few She did not after a study of my country know Russian, which is excusable for Ang who have an instinctive fear of xons, foreign lan- ages. Quite naturally she some- times mistook the names of the cities for the names of the prominent citizens, put Ukrania in Asia, made no difference between Novgorod the Great and } tan hundred miles jni Novgorod, although the dis- between these two cities is a few She did it all with the disarming charm of a woman. Her ar ticles were read perhaps with more sure than Lire, although humorons pages of hey were printed ina serious section of a serious paper. Tam a little envious of her success. nd decide to be a Russian woman-journali two-weeks’ study « less deep than th IT hope that my this country is no at of your American correspondent Leaves FROM A Diary of A NEWCOMER 1. This country is not so wealthy, after all, I saw in San Francisco a can get the fresh hot dogs RETTER WATCH HIM, WoopROw Soldier: Woiv ON, MR. POLITICIAN, WE FOUGHT AND DITT FOR AN IDEAL, AND ARE NOW TO BE RECKONED WITH building, the high 2. Their biggest Woolworth, is so can see from the top of it the At- that one lantic on one side and the Pacific on the other. I personally did not see the Pacific when T got up to the top of this building, but perhaps it was due to the foggy weather. 3. The Rocky Mountains are artificially made—to lovers of unusua the Yankees great! 4. Americans are so democratic that they would shake hands with please the I scenery, Aren't Ie MAY RE PLAYING ‘Possum ’?" northern Americans, must not (Only of course; but much k too i € nation.) move- country Yesterday IT asked Trish stro} the police lady how to find the She smiled ceman y« And adres 1 1 not so ignorant sive noise. After every great holiday papers would print how many children were lost-there, and how many things were stolen. They want to show by this how immense the holiday was 7. The young people here are very