Life, 1919-05-08 · page 17 of 46
Life — May 8, 1919 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page uses satirical cartoons to critique post-WWI American political distraction. **Top cartoon:** "And in the Meantime the Lady Drowns" depicts workers on a ship labeled "Bolshevism" arguing while the vessel sinks. This references the "Lady" as Lady Liberty or the nation itself, suggesting Americans obsess over trivial disputes (the text mentions Jews vs. Italians competing for influence in New York) while serious threats—likely communism or economic collapse—go unaddressed. **Bottom comics:** Three sequential panels show a professor being interrupted by a "Victory Bonds" salesman. The humor satirizes how aggressive wartime fundraising efforts distract from serious intellectual work. The final panel's joke about "Bridget" (likely a maid, drawn in stereotypical Irish domestic servant style) suggests the salesman's real interest lies elsewhere than bonds. The overall message: Americans are distracted by petty concerns and commercial schemes while genuinely dangerous problems demand attention.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
race for self-determination Is to the 1 E people who I : m, will the Jews or the Italians get w York? AND IN THE MEANTIME THE LADY DROWNS TH Tortoise defeated the Hare, “TT will now race the Burlemail, the Burlephone and the Burlegraph.” it announced. ILL the back?” ! Hasn't W. H. The ” heen elected mayor of Chicas Germans ever come “Sure “GLAD TO FIND YOU IN, PROFESSOR. I'M SELLING VICTORY BONDS. CAN I—” “ STEP THIS WAY, PLEASE.” BRIDGET, YOU ARE THE ONE THIS YOUNG MAN REALLY WISHES TO $ comicbooks.com