Life, 1919-05-15 · page 25 of 50
Life — May 15, 1919 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This editorial cartoon depicts a railroad worker napping while a train approaches in the background—a visual metaphor for post-WWI American complacency. The accompanying text discusses how the U.S. is "really closing out" the war, with soldiers still in streets but life returning to normal (Harvard rowing, West Point choirs singing in New York). The satire targets American inattention to serious post-war challenges: reconstructing Europe, managing demobilization, and addressing domestic social problems. The article mentions competing ideologies—Socialism, Bolshevism, and Prohibition—that will shape the coming years, warning that while the fighting has ended, critical work remains. The "switch" likely refers to the need for America to shift its focus from military to domestic reconstruction. The sleeping figure represents Americans who might miss crucial decisions ahead, particularly regarding whether enforced Prohibition will make life "a cheerful adventure" in peacetime.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
is that the Yankee statesmen are working for a fair deal. Of course, no- hody likes a fair deal, least of all, a lot of countries that are facing ruir the result of a horrible Countries in such thing substantial to and their whether it comes out of dd protracted war state want some: show for their sacrifices, and My or foe at difference if only they nds in the exertions makes no gr get it. Any referee who s way of their getting it is going to be The United Europe's present referee, and ar slogan “kill the umpire” seems to be rising from the Urals to the North Sea. But that is all in the day’s work, and if the um fairly good, the umpire unfavorably regarded. States ii the fam iring is alive, is quite likely to get a silver mug ut the end of the season. N this country the war is really clos- ing out. To be sure streets are still alive with soldiers, but stylish ladies wear hats our picture ASLEEU AT THE SWITCH church, and one reads that the Har- vard crews will train again at Red Top, and that a choir of West Point cadets has been to New York to sing give dinners again and break out into ume or People the naturally yeties without It is true that the dark cloud of prohibition lowers morc and formidably, but if all. the troops get home b: way remorse. more September and that Wil- son's judgment to hinder a recurrence life for the last three and a demobilization is finished in month, there is nothing but Mr of convivial months of the moist Christmas. When we Europe, there is a great work to be year, have finished umpiring done in this country to make life palat- The wretched business of fore- for military reasons, which made Germany such a horrible able. ing population nuisance and has crowded Japan so afely be discontinued if the League of } works. But to make life pleasant and interesting enough and safe enough so that competent people may dare to raise families, is something to be encour- that she must spill over, m ations aged, and that must engage the atte tion of the wise in the years ahead. That is the aim of Socialism in a and of Bolshevism, and Prohibi- tion and most varieties of revolution nd reform, But Bolshevism seems to be running out, and Socialism seems to have a crack in its bell, and we have yet to see what enforced Prohibition will do to us, and whether life is going to he a cheerful adventure in a Prohi- bition world. R, BURLESON own defense, has come to his and deposes in the World tnat the fight against him does not proceed from a desire for improve- ment in the postal and wire services, selfish but from the resentment of newspapers and millionaire publishers Zone Whick the Congress has separated them the § because of the Law, “under from a part « 2,000,000 * legal- ized graft’ they once enjoyed.” Shucks! The Zone Law good or bad, but the present row is may be and Burleson’s attempt to revolutionize the about the seizure of the wires whole wire system and force it under government control comicbooks.com