Life, 1919-02-06 · page 15 of 38
Life — February 6, 1919 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine documents a Peace Conference (likely post-WWI, early 1920s based on context). The diary entries describe an American delegate's experience attending committee meetings and social activities in Paris. The top cartoon shows a man wearing a target on his back, walking toward children playing in snow—captioned "THE WAY IT LOOKS TO THE OWNER OF A SNOWBALL." This is visual satire: the adult feels vulnerable to snowball attacks, a humorous reversal where the authority figure becomes the defenseless target. The lower sketch, titled "RETURNED MUNITIONETTE: BUT ISN'T IT STRANGE HE DOESN'T KNOW HIS AUNTIE?" depicts a woman holding a small child, addressing a uniformed soldier. It satirizes the social disruption of WWI—soldiers returning home after years abroad to find they no longer recognize their own relatives, a poignant commentary on war's alienating effects on families.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
"iL, CP-E* Seeing the Peace Conference tracts from the diary of an American delegate) After breakfast read the pa- Lovely day day—Rose early, ners, Went for a stroll in the Bois. Had chat with American newspaper correspond- ents, Gathered that everything was progressing satisfactorily cday—MI morning at business meeting of Com- Permanent organization effected. Afternoon stroll in the Bois. All Paris excited over rumor that the Conference is about mittee on Statistics Unable to verify report to sit. dnesday—Slight cold, and stayed in bed. After- noon, sat up and read papers. Nothing but good Tremendous ovation everywhere for the To the theatre in the evening, feeling news *resident much better, day.—Onutlook continues very favorable. Infor- il meeting of Committee on Statistics, followe ly luncheon and a stroll in the Bois. Read ac- nts of President's address in Ivatian Chamber. ker. sto yet a southern exposure, Had my room at the hotel changed, so riday.—AN_ morning at my mail. Got off a 1 letter to Aunt Sarah, thanking her for her box of anti-influenza tablets and good wishes. Went fora Saturday Returned Munitionette: put 18N't 1T STRANCE HE DOESN'T KNOW HIS AUNTIE? Sunday.—Got off another note to dear Aunt Sarah. - _ bas! Wh THE WAY IT LOOKS To THE OWNER OF A SNOWBALL sf Com- Meeting was called for vendre but I drei, My mistake. Next meeting is called for mercredi. Must make a that mereredi—that’s Wednesday, isn’ walk in the Bois and forgot to attend special meeting mittee on Statistics. thonght samedi always came before note of Lundi, mard Strolled in the Bois, and met some of the American correspondents. They tell me we are making really wonder- The President's visit to Rome, and all that, was reat success, Glad to hear it, Also be at home in Paris, and find my way about much better. rly Conference. Saw Mrs. Wilson driving in iul progress. inning to feel quite More talk about an e the Bois this afternoon Looking well. President in town, too’ they say. Gave her Laid off most of the afternoon and read In the some fine pictures of Our York. New to-morrow Iundi, all the news. papers, Everything seems to be getting on nicely evening to the cinema. Sav Boys arriving in little old New York. Well, well then comes ward nd That's the d. Great place, will be Mustn’'t forget committee meets. Let's see, then mereredé atercredi the south side of the house there grows, winter after winter, a hardy little plant, bearing generously little button-size chrysanthemums. In the hothouse, with its arti- ficial heat, there blooms a chrysanthemum, large and shagey and uncombed. It is one of the injustices in the land of flowers that it is admired more than the hardy little button- sized flower that asks nothing more of life than such sun and rain as the Lord sees fit to send. comicbooks.com