Life, 1919-01-16 · page 7 of 34
Life — January 16, 1919 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes **Bolshevism and communist revolution**, likely from the early 1920s post-Russian Revolution period. The main illustration shows what appears to be a **devil figure** addressing a gathering of former soldiers ("Hades colony of former U-boat commanders"), tempting them toward violent revolution. The caption warns these ex-warriors are being seduced into a "low-ceilinged structure" lit only by sulfur candles—a hellish metaphor for communism. The text beneath ("Reaping the Whirlwind") uses a mathematical progression joke: one profiteer makes ten protesters; ten make one hundred dissatisfied workers; one hundred make "one thousand Bolsheviki." This satirizes how communist recruitment spreads geometrically through social discontent. The satire presents Bolshevism as demonic manipulation exploiting economic grievance among the working class and military veterans.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BEFORE OUR LATE WAKRIOKS RECOM Just Dues HE members of the Hades colony of former U-l commanders ventured to congratulate themselves, thinking they had experienced the entire gamut of their punishment, and would not be called on to en ny new and unknown form of agony i But one ¢ while the choir mom cea z out nonotonons, — earedi There'll Be a Hot 1 * the devil who only Jeet Dominio! Evening, Fi of the ex-sea monsters crooked his finger and bade them to follow him Tremblingly the wretches obeyed Leading them into low-ceiled structure, whieh ws vith electric followers ckless ch ndded wit matically-acting “This is our moving picture thea tre. Here you must gaze upon a re- ACCUSTOMED TO THE WAYS OF CIVILIZATION production of your deeds of inhumanity, in thirty thousand, four hundred and sixty-three slow-moving reels.” But tell us, please,” entreated the late periscope manip- ulators, “that we will not have to hear the cries of our was the answer, given with devilish reassur- ance, “you will not hear their cries; but you will hear your own, for you yourselves will suffer all the pain, the fear, and the hopelessness that you compelled your victims to suffer.” And, ing, the even as he ceased speak- first picture started, and the room filled awful was with sounds Reaping the Whirlwind NE law unenforced makes ten profiteers Ten profiteers make one hundred tistied workingmen. ¢ hundred ¢ tisfied work men make one thousand Bolshe- The Parrot comicbooks.com