Life, 1919-02-06 · page 28 of 38
Life — February 6, 1919 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes post-WWI disillusionment and post-WWII demobilization concerns. **"It Was a Famous Victory"** parodies Southey's poem, mocking how returning soldiers expect hero's welcomes. Old Kaspar prepares war stories for thirty years, only to have his grandchild dismiss him as boring—capturing the public's rapid loss of interest in veterans' narratives. **"Stripping the Soldiers"** criticizes military demobilization policy: soldiers must return uniforms but are discharged in their underwear and socks, left essentially destitute. The bitter cartoon caption shows women warning soldiers they'll return to civilian life unprepared and impoverished. **"Simple Solution"** jokes about theatrical producers cheaply "solving" costume shortages by claiming the program changed to "classical dance," mocking wartime corner-cutting. The **"War/Peace" transition drawings** contrast a soldier in uniform against a woman in civilian dress, visualizing the abrupt shift from military to civilian life. Overall, the page critiques society's callous treatment of returning soldiers and public indifference to their sacrifice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
216 6 . ” ‘It Was a Famous Victory’ (1044) [Eas a summer evening; Old Kaspar was at home, Sitting before his cottage door— Like in the Southey pome— And near him, with ldled his grandchild, Geraldiv “Why don’t you ask me,” Kaspar said To the child upon the floor, “Why don't you ask me what [ did When I was in the war? They told me that cach little kid Would surely ask me what I did “Tve had my story ready For thirty years or m “Don't bother, ( child; “1 find such things a bor Pray leave me to my magazir : WEARING 1 Asserted little Geraldine. . ior Valor, if he has them. little Peterki Mr. Maxwell Evarts to this p It inspires Then ente Butler to write To whom his gd “You'd like to hi I was leit for dead ur about the war? ; order declared besides, wonder know you speak Arese that wan, embitter An Important Cablegram Witsox, Pais PU ASE hurry home 1 fire Bs leson The hero of this pome, And walked, with not unsprightly step, Down to the Sold Where he Sat swapyp ers’ Home, with seven other mer Narcicax Porte pg lies ull half Stripping the Soldiers WASHINGTON dispateh, January 7th, says that the govern- dated requires enlisted men of the army to return within four months of dis- outer Statt charge “one suit of uniform cloth ho the Chief of construes to include one hat and hat cord, one flannel shirt, one service and ornaments, one pair of breeches, one pair of sho one waist belt, er and overcoat The order leaves the soldier in h acks may pin his tinguished nich he Dis. and underclothes, en \ Croix Service de Guerre, Cross and “GIRLS, THEY KE GOING TO DEMOBILIZE FIIGUATS AND TRYING Us, AND We'VE Gor To 0 BACK MINATE” Simple Solution HE tig arrived.” ts of the chorus haven't “That will he all right.” replied tl “Let the an nouncer inform the audience that the theatrical manager. has been changed to al dance.” AP ICE is the most worthless com- modity in the world. Those who t profit hy it don't need it, and e who do need it won't profit by f they could, they wouldn't need it (x Medal THE TRANSITION PERIOD comicbooks.com