Life, 1919-02-20 · page 17 of 34
Life — February 20, 1919 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This political cartoon satirizes the appointment of Professor George D. Herron as a U.S. commissioner to negotiate with the Bolsheviks at Princes Island. The illustration depicts a soldier (representing America/government authority) presenting an undesirable choice to a woman (representing the nation or public), symbolized by the crocodile labeled "Mother"—likely referencing the Bolsheviks or communist threat. The accompanying text criticizes Republican objections to Herron, arguing he's actually well-qualified despite his unconventional past. The joke is that while Republicans reject Herron as "not good enough," he's actually more suitable than conventional diplomats—like using a pinch-hitter in baseball. A correction note clarifies that Frank Mather (the letter-writer) is a professor in Rome, not Princeton; his son holds the Princeton position.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
in Europe than at home. His position Mem bers ot governments who oppose the fight him, but k with him, He will cason, he will yield in particulars for in Europe i: immensely strong ideas he reveals may they may not b a purpose, but he is tenacious as al- ways of what seem to him to be fun- damental p What is his position in this coun ciples, and he will not run. we may discover when he sets back to Washington We do not doubt that he will et the backing he he is a greater man in } presently and to Con- ress. needs, for, thou trope than at home, there are millions here who see in him work, and thousands more, not yet cor aman chosen to do a great cd of that, who sce him as the best sible He comes in for a little timely cen- sure for appointing George D. Herron to be commisioner along with William Allen White to meet the Bolsheviks at Princes Island * MOTHER” White. He is known to all, Nobody objects to Mr Celest who has spent his life in Kansas, at that and cannot be astonished by any pecu- liarity of hun Nothing that the Bol gates can think, can stump an attuned to the whirr of wheels in I a Republican tentive to phenomena in state, im or view, fevik d editor whose ears sas heads. Bat about are misgiving angements have there His Drofessor Herron and even outcries. domestic ar and subject to exte tisement, and his theories abe life were at one time out of ir best f armony nilies, outside of the Long Island aristocracy, The well thought of with usage in ¢ Polsheviks are not here, but complaint is very earnest in the Republican press that Mr. Herron is not good enough to send to them. all, Mr German But, after Herron has been fighting the Switzerland for three years and a halt, propaganda in and it may have been thought that he had labors. with the risk that he would infect them with unsuit- yout the basis of ord Nelson had domestic special qualifications for Leninists that offset the able theories domestic happiness unsuitable theories about happiness, but, all the same, when En land him to the bat plied that Mr if he may be a better choice needed a pinch-hitter she ser It should not be im- Herron is a Nelson, but understands the Bolsheviks he to meet them than some less criticised person whose views have never been irregular, SESCSOCES UOTING a letter last week from Mr. Frank J. Mather, we of him as a professor at Princeton. That was a mistake. Mr. Mather, who wrote the letter to the Post, lives spoke in Rome. It is his son, of the same name, who is a professor at Princeton, comicbooks.com