Life — April 24, 1919 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon titled "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" — ironically referencing the American Declaration of Independence. The figure is labeled "BOLSHEVIKI" on his chest, depicting a menacing ape-like creature in revolutionary garb. The caricature appears to be anti-Bolshevik propaganda, likely from the post-WWI Red Scare era (1917-1920s) when American publications expressed fears about communist revolution spreading from Russia. The grotesque ape-man imagery draws on dehumanizing stereotypes common in period political cartoons. The artist, Walter de Maris, uses this monstrous depiction to suggest Bolsheviks represented a bestial threat to American ideals and civilization itself. The cartoon reflects widespread American anxiety about communist ideology during this turbulent historical period.