Life, 1919-06-12 · page 18 of 46
Life — June 12, 1919 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1920s *Life* magazine page satirizes soldiers seeking discharge from the U.S. Army after World War I by listing absurd "reasons" for release. The humor mocks both the soldiers' priorities and post-war demobilization chaos. **The cartoons:** - Top left: A man literally pulling another from military service - Bottom left: "Find the man with a cellar full of 'private stock'"—a joke about Prohibition (alcohol was illegal), suggesting soldiers want discharge to access hidden liquor **The reasons listed are deliberately ridiculous:** a soldier losing his hair before marriage, another needed for a firemen's ball, one stuck mediating over naming triplets, and one wanting to rejoin a baseball league. "Private Joe Jones" wants discharge because he loves liquor and fears it will run out—a Prohibition-era joke. **The bottom sketch** contrasts with war concerns: a woman won't use delivery service because her $25-30 grocery purchase is light enough to carry, highlighting how trivial post-war civilian concerns seemed. The satire critiques both soldiers' self-interested priorities and society's rapid return to mundane preoccupations after the war.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Reasons 'OR the good and sufficient reasons stated below, the following members of the United States army want their immediate release from service: Private Samuel W. Higginbotham is en- gaged to a dream-girl in Sandusky, Ohio. She detests bald-headed men. Sam's hair is commencing to fall out, and he re- spectfully requests that he be dis- charged at once, that his marriage may be accomplished in time. Private F. R. Hinds is program-committee chairman of the Hicksville Firemen’s Relief Association, Hicksville, Vt. The association has voted to hold its annual firemen’s ball as usual in July, and Private Hinds deems his imme- diate release imperative. Private William Blake is the father of triplets, born while he was in France. Two of the babies have been named to the satisfaction of all concerned, but there is a deadlock over the third. Private Blake insists on John Pershing Blake and Mrs. Blake is standing pat for Francis Bushman Blake. Inasmuch as cable communication is of little avail in such a crisis, Private Blake believes that he can serve his country best at home just now. Private Joe Jones admits he loves liquor, And if he is a eaig erUnaaaT nipetttst i FIND THE MAN WHO HAS A CELLAR FULL OF “ PRIVATE STOCK ” SHOULD OLD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT? THE FARMER WHO HIRED HER AS A FARMERETTE LAST SUMMES entitled to pursue peace and happiness, he knows it is necessary for him to get back to the United States now, while there are a few quarts left. Private Henry Barker is left-fielder and clean-up batter for the Riverton team of the West Texas league. If base ball is to be revived as the national pastime, the revival cannot be a complete success without him in left field. Private Bill Jones doesn’t care when he is released from service, so long as he is freed simultaneously with S geant Herbert Bennett of his company. Private Jones is six feet five, and weighs two hundred and twenty-one pounds, and Sergeant Bennett is five feet six, and his weight is of no great importance. But Private Jones wants to mect Sergeant Bennett during their first fifteen: minutes of civilian life. Neal R. O'Hara. That High Cost RS. CRAWFORD: Why aren’t you going to have your marketing sent home Mrs, Cransttaw: I'm only buying twenty-five or thirty dollars’ worth, so I can carry it. comicbooks.com