Life, 1919-05-01 · page 35 of 44
Life — May 1, 1919 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a satirical poem "To a German Helmet" by Ethel D. W. Collins, likely published during or shortly after World War I. The poem mocks a defeated Germany by imagining a German military helmet—symbol of Prussian militarism and the Kaiser's power—reduced to such poverty that it arrives at the poet's door seeking a six-cent postage stamp. References to "Potsdam regal" and "superman's head" evoke German imperial pretensions, while the damp front-piece suggests humiliation. The cartoon below (captioned "I wonder what he puts on his hair") shows a baby riding a cow, a visual non-sequitur that appears unrelated to the poem's anti-German sentiment. The remainder is commercial advertising for Tiffany & Co. jewelry and Forhan's toothpaste—standard magazine content of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
mall a fe how ic edu- nd his I sub- To a German Helmet ROM Orient to Occident, From weary earth to the stars, On the far-Aung winds of distant se: And perchance on the planet M Was heard the scream of your eagle The shriek of your Potsdam re; And the story of cruel war: © helmet, the weight of your con- scienc O helmet, as strong as your sin, With cushions inside as soft as the hand Of your one-time Kaiserin, You pillowed a superman’s head, they say (Your front-piece, in faney, is damp). And you came to me just yesterday For a six-cent postage stamp! Ethel D. W, Collins Beware of tender, inflamed gums YORRHEA. with a premature loss of teeth, is almost inevitable if you do not properly care for | your gums. Here is the ex- planation: As you age the body tise sues naturally relax You see this tissue-loosening in the neck It goes on in your gums, too. As you grow ‘older your gums shrink be- low the normal gum line. Through lack of care they become spongy and inflamed Then you have Pyorrhea (Riggs’ Disease). Four out of five people over forty have Pyorrhea. And many TIFFANY & Co. JEWELRY SILVERWARE STATIONERY WATCHES AND CLOCKS UALITY UTILITY AND VALUE Q THe TIFFANY BLUE Book GIVES PRICES FIFTH AVENUE & 3/7" STREET New YorK under forty, also, Don't let a tender gum spot develop. These ten- der spots breeddiseasegerms which enter the system through tiny openings—in- fecting the joints of tonsils —or causingother ailments. Immediately get Forhan's, which positively prevents Pyorrhea if used in time and used consistently, For- han's tones the gums and hardens them. They in turn keep the teeth healthy. Brush your teeth with Fothan’s. It cleans them scientifically—keeps them white and clean. If gum-shrinkage has already set in, start using Forhan's and consult a dennst immediately for special treatment. 3e and 60¢ tubes All Drossises FORHAN CO. 200 6th Ave., N.Y.