Life, 1919-05-01 · page 29 of 44
Life — May 1, 1919 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains post-WWI satirical content. The central "Announcement" mocks international peace negotiations by presenting "BUT & IF" as comedic "world conciliators"—a fake firm offering treaty-fixing services. The joke references actual WWI peace figures: Orlando (Italy), Clemenceau (France), Hohenzollern (Germany's Kaiser), Lodge and Lowell (American politicians), Lenin and Trotsky (Russia), and Woodrow Wilson (U.S. President). These leaders are humorously portrayed as clients needing diplomatic help, satirizing how fragile and contentious post-war agreements were. The firm's slogan—"BUT & IF agreements have never failed"—ironically undercuts real peace efforts by suggesting all treaties require endless qualifications and exceptions. The cartoon above shows a domestic marital dispute over a dream, providing lighter humor contrasting the serious international tensions discussed below.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Che Song = made a little, simple song And sent it down along the years; And now and then to burning eyes It brings the tears! | | And weary cars that hear forget Life's cry and clamor for a while, And now and then to bitter lips ] It brings a smile! And though his gentle soul has long Been high above life’s toil and fret, Along the years his little song Is singing yet! Mamie L. Hammel. HE man who never does anything he doesn’t like rarely likes any- thing he does, “BUT, DARLING, WHY ARE YOU ANGRY WITH ME? “ BECAUSE I DREAMT LAST NIGHT THAT YOU KISSED GLADYS JONES!” Announcement HE old reliable world conciliators, BUT & IF, take pleasure in announcing to their many patrons that, after a brief sus- pension of activity owing to the neces- sity of all hands getting together to win the war, they are AGAIN DOING BUSIN) THE OLD STAND. International Agreements Our Specialty. All the latest models in stock. Does your treaty hurt you? Is your covenant out of order? Come to us. BUT & IF AGREEME NEVER FAILED, Insist upon BUT & IF agreements— Accept no substitute. THE BUT & IF WA IS THE BEST WAY. (Trade Mark) READ WHAT SOME OF OUR PATRONS You helped Italy out of some tight places.—Orlando, I don’t know what the Peace Con- ference would have done without you. —Clemenceau. I owe my life to you—IV. _Hohen- sollern, You made our debate a gentlemanly success.—Senator Lodge and President Lowell. We should have been lost without you at Brest-Litovsk.—Lenine and Trotsky. With your help, peace at last— Woodrow Wilson. S AT WHAT MOST OF US WOULD LIKE TO DO TO THE PIANOLA ON THE FLOOR ABOVE