Life, 1919-03-13 · page 17 of 42
Life — March 13, 1919 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains antisemitic propaganda from the post-WWI era. The text attacks Jews for allegedly defending Jewish figures accused of wrongdoing, using Dr. Simons—described as a Methodist Church leader who testified before the Senate's Overman Committee—as an example. Simons claimed Bolsheviks were led by "apostate Jews" who changed their names from German to Russian origins. The article sarcastically notes his disclaimer about not being "anti-Semitic" while making exactly such accusations. The top cartoon shows a figure saluting flags, likely depicting patriotic display. The lower illustration titled "The End of a Perfect Day" appears to show a figure reclining triumphantly. **Context**: This reflects 1920s American anxiety about Bolshevism and Jewish immigrants, conflating communism with Judaism through conspiracy theory. The "Overman Committee" investigated alleged foreign propaganda. This material exemplifies how mainstream publications spread harmful stereotypes linking Jews to revolutionary movements.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Jews, Bolsheviks, and Dr. Simons wy don’t the Jews spend more en ergy in advertising their good cople, and less in trying to whitewash their scoundrels? When any group of d Jews is exposed, the voice of Isra cs in calliopean tones, denouncing the outrage on the Chosen People. Observe, for an example, the recent episode of Dr. Simons, described as the head of the Methodist Church in <ussia, who came home from there, nd testified (February 12th) before the Overman Investigation Committee of the Senate. The Overman Commit- tee investigates foreign propaganda. Dr. Simons told its members that al- most from the beginning the Bolshe- vik movement in Russia was led and agitated by apostate Jews, most. of whom bore German names, originally, but had changed them 6 names. He said he was not anti ic, that many of his best friends were Jews, and that he knew that the great Manenans MIT HANY 19 THE END OF A PERFECT DAY comicbooks.com