Life, 1919-01-09 · page 27 of 34
Life — January 9, 1919 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
## Main Cartoon: "Why Not Social Training Camps? Afternoon Tea Drill" This cartoon satirizes British military preparedness by depicting what appears to be upper-class officers conducting an absurdly genteel "afternoon tea drill" indoors. The scene shows soldiers in formal dress engaging in leisurely tea service rather than serious combat training. The satire targets the British establishment's perceived complacency or inadequate military readiness—suggesting the officer class treats warfare as casually as afternoon social etiquette rather than serious preparation. ## "The Return" (Poem Discussion) The page discusses a French war poem by Lucien Royer about soldiers' triumphant return through the Arc de Triomphe after WWI. The satirical narrative depicts Heaven's inhabitants (God, Saints, Angels, Peter) eagerly watching various French and Allied military branches parade by—cavalry, artillery, engineers, aviators—each greeted with increasing celestial excitement. The grenadier Flambeau serves as heavenly tour guide, explaining the procession's significance. The satire likely mocks grandiose post-war celebrations and inflated military glory following the recently-ended World War I.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NOT SOCIAL TRAINING CAMPS? AFTFRNOON TRA DRILL “The Return” properly allows no stay his ewlogistic Muse when she is sing pose, least inclined to blow their Whether this is ¢ and diffidence, ory of his ill-fated country's indomitable troops. a fine example which is called “ Le Retour” embark upon the “itten by Lucien Royer, i perilous. task of the War and the re-entry igerents on our side—Freneh, is, through the \re de Triomphe, Americans, Australians, Canadians, Welsh, Italians or Ser e best opinion All that Tam disposed to lo at the moment is to record the private relief that a touch of of themselves. The War was over, says the first stanza and God in His starry fasin ‘od conceit does any harm, and pass on to the con ked what it was (I do not pretend to explai aything should b rench war poem that has recently come my way, in which t a mystery to the 63 Omniscient and Omnipotent. That is for the poet to expla ing, He had to neur,” replicd one of the Heavenly Host, “js because the victorious 4: through the Are de Tris These words bi 1. Anyway, not knows nquire.) overheard in Heaven there was a rush to the bal- conies, even the most stoical of the hicr- archy wishing for a sight of the heroes; while Saint Peter, twisting his t for F ard, sent mbean, the grenadier (who, we must presi latest ar- aise from the Front), to explain the details of the Triumph. And » ple: ry glory ec, was one of th rivals in P ‘ood fellow was only t sed as he said, all m was an open book to him: he knew the fame of every regiment. again—is That then—I here interrupt the setti Telow, the various branches of the French Army, for it is on the ch that the poet entrates, on into Paris. heir wonder NE Saints and th proc , the ather, the Patriarchs, the Angels, all consumed by curiosity; and the grenadier Flambeau, having the time of his immortal life, as entreprene rst, says the next stanza, came the Cavalry, like 9 huge breaking wave. “There!” said lambeau; “ those are the r Hussars and the Dragoons.” And such was the acclamation of the populace be- low that the doors of Heaven rattle “That's nothin said Flambeau. “That's only the beginning. Here com the Artillery And there was such a commotion of joy that the tempest reached to the skies. “That's nothing,” said Flambea You're goir to see something better than that, Ah! here are the Engincers! + and, see, the Aviators!" And such a roar of welcome met them that God complained that He was being deafened. Then Flambeauannounced the approach of the $ and this time the system succumbed to the excite- ailor and the sun shed his beams on the heads of the crocs as though he were seluting kings. (Continued on page 67) Pig: 1 KNOW YM A PrRFECT siGuT, THIS DAMP WRATHER TAKES ALL THE CURL ovr oF MY TAIL, comicbooks.com