Life, 1919-01-30 · page 25 of 34
Life — January 30, 1919 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces about American leadership post-WWI. **"On Mayors"** attacks New York Mayor John Hylan for his self-righteous refusal to serve on a welcome committee for returning soldiers alongside newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. The piece mocks Hylan's claim that placing "personal interest and animosity above patriotism" is regrettable—while doing exactly that. The satire argues that even flawed democratic selection of leaders produces better results than aristocratic systems. **"Keep 'Em Busy"** criticizes George Creel, head of the wartime Committee on Public Information (the U.S. propaganda bureau). The caption suggests Creel's post-war mission to "educate Europe" into American ways is presumptuous. The cartoon below ("Her Next Task") depicts a female figure—likely "America" or "Lady Liberty"—asking Sam (Uncle Sam) why, after helping wonderfully, he won't help Americans themselves, implying Creel's organization should focus domestically rather than promoting American ideology abroad.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
On Mayors \KING of Hearst, Mayor Hylan New York recently uttered this profound reflection: sto be regretted that there a hose who always place personal in- snd animosity above their occasion for this philosophic irk was due to the general reluc- nong certain misguided gentle- the metropolis to serve on a ittee with Hearst—a committee vse duty it was to welcome to this try the soldiers who, many of them led for life, were coming back to from the battlefields of Europe. rst had been appointed by M nas the head of this committe modern American mayor is r product of our time. Nothing ke him has ever been seen before. e system of selecting him could only © heen perfected by long practi ere is always a chance that any one be stupid. Any one man may se. Any one man may be a cless judge of the qualifications of er men, Any one man may be a sass. The great trick is to fix upon ne one ma ali- ite. This is no easy matter, But he genius of our people for self-gov- ment has heen equal to the task. mayor of our principal city is a monument to this genius. Keep ‘Em Busy A CORDING to a recent announce- . n it is said that Mr George Creel will he placed at the head of a movement to educate Europe into our evident, can no longer he induced to take a back seat. The world is doomed to he uplifted to our i al stand- We sincerely tr will go slow. His bureau information now been in among us for some time. Mr facts have been taken in the: pores. If no more newspapers were issued we could subsist for s years on Creel’s Bulletin. Thi has advantages over any HER NEXT TASK of literature, hecause for popular Sam: YOU HAVE HELPED ME WONDERFULLY, MY DEAR. NOW, WITH YOUR EFFI- reading any number is good at CIENT ORGANIZATION, WHY DON'T YOU HELP YOURSELVES? time. When the next war come