Life, 1919-05-01 · page 28 of 44
Life — May 1, 1919 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page collects British political cartoons satirizing WWI-era governance. The top cartoon mocks "Self Government" as a precarious vehicle requiring careful navigation. Central scenes ridicule war financing: a figure asks for a $4.5 billion loan while another promises rewards for admirals. "Getting Out the Old Sock" depicts politicians extracting resources from a Victory Loan. The "Navy Department" sketch and "House of Commons" message lampoon bureaucratic inefficiency and conflicting authority. The bottom panel, "When Doctors Disagree," shows quarreling figures labeled with war-related terms, suggesting government leadership at odds over policy. Overall, the cartoons critique British wartime administration—excessive spending, inter-departmental confusion, and political disagreement—while citizens bear the costs. The tone is sharply satirical toward those managing the war effort.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
eee RAYS | SELF GOVERNMENT WATCH YOUR STEP Sprit, a i THE WAY, oon (ow end me) $4,500,000, 000, a WiLL You ?_-~ DEPARTMENT ||’ ALITTLE MESSAGE PRON THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, WHEN DOCTORS DISAGREE.