Life, 1919-01-23 · page 11 of 42
Life — January 23, 1919 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts **"The Return"** as a allegorical ship voyage through world history. The text explicitly identifies the vessel's passengers as European nations: Belgium as "barometer" warning of storms, France as "storm anchor," the United States as engine driving progress, Italy as "oil," Russia as "vegetable growth," Germany as "barnacles" seeking to destroy the ship, and Great Britain as "ballast" essential for survival. This is **post-WWI political commentary** (likely 1920s), using maritime metaphor to describe Europe's recovery and international cooperation, with Germany portrayed as a destructive force and Britain's stabilizing role emphasized. The lower cartoon, "A Real Military Wedding," humorously depicts military protocol between army and navy branches—contemporary social satire about institutional hierarchies rather than political allegory.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE RETURN AS IT SEEMED TO THEM This World of Ours HIS world of ours is a ship, steering an uncharted course through the sea of Eternity, Belgium is the barometer, giving warning of approaching storms in order that the various elements of the vessel may be unified to withstand it. France is the storny anchor that holds the vessel to its course while the machinery of progress, the United States, is being oiled and put into shape to drive it through the destruction-secking waves to saf Italy is the -spread, tempering the storm to the vessel's aid. Russia is a vegetable growth clinging to the hull, not really harmful, but impeding the ship's progress. Ger- many and Austria-Hungary are the barnacles fastening themselves to the ship’s outer sheath, secking to pierce the plating and send the vessel down to destruction. And Great Britain is’ the ballast, without which the vessel could not long survive—the ballast of the world. LPHABETICALLY speaking, it’s the eyes of a woman that disturb the ease of a man. A REAL MILITARY WEDDING WHEN A CAPTAIN IN THE LAND ARMY MARRIES A COMMANDER IN THE NAVY comicbooks.com