Life, 1919-08-21 · page 14 of 40
Life — August 21, 1919 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct articles: the first critiques post-WWI attitudes toward Germany, and the second, titled "A Word to the Wise," defends President Wilson's prose style against recent criticism. The illustration labeled "THE MAKERS OF BOLSHEVISM" depicts a menacing figure (likely representing Bolshevik leadership) looming over smaller figures below, apparently ordinary people or revolutionaries. This reflects 1920s American anti-communist anxiety—Bolshevism was widely feared as a destabilizing force. The accompanying story "His First Thought" references Kubla Khan and appears to be satirical fiction, though its full context is unclear from this excerpt. The overall page reflects post-WWI American political debate: resentment toward Germany, defense of Wilson's rhetoric, and deep anxiety about communist revolution—major preoccupations of the early 1920s.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
316 ignorance; but then, as now, the art of living simply and enjoyably was made manifest to wandering British and Americans, We feel to-day overcome our repy; that nothing could nce to a country whence emanated the world’s greatest calamity, that nothing could enable us to endure the sight of German. soil, the sound of German speech. But short-lived, and thirst is Why, nsations of anger is longer than art should the comp: moreover, fate be entailed upon those who least deserve them? A few more summers of soda- fountain beverages, and the wisdom o Solomon, to say nothing of the lost sweetness of life, will be embodied in the ancient and now, alas! fruitless jest: “Why should I pay three dol- lars for an umbrella, when I can buy a bock for five cents Agnes Repplic A Word to the Wise WWHENEVE Wilson wrote a note to the Senate or the President House or the people in the old days there was a great to-do and pow-wow over the excruciating beauty of the Women burst into tears over its poignant love- language which he employed liness, and strong men beat the air their fists in a vain attempt to their admiration. -Of late, with express however, people have not been so prone to rave wildly about the inimi- table quality of Mr. Wilson's prose poems, May there not, after all, be an un- dercurrent of weakness about them which many admirers would be reluc- tant to admit? From force of habit his readers murmur “ Wonderful!” read them; but their lack sincerity, when they exclamations and their thoughts wander other subjects, such as make rum in the butler’s pantry, the worthlessness of a five-dollar bill, whether Burleson knows what people think of him, the prevalence of murder and twenty-five-dollar tags on shoes, and ther subjects to which a little real attaches. If Mr. Wilson's friends don’t want to see him drop far behind the newspaper correspond- quickly to how to robbery interest THE MAKERS OF BOLSHEVISM ents and the sob sisters as a producer of heart-wrenching phrases, they had better arrange for another world- cataclysm before March 4, 1921, so that he can get the old thrill back into his stuff, His First Thought [* Xanadu did Kubla Khan \ stately pleasure-dome decree; And there came Lire each Tuesday morn— Old Kubla had subscribed, you see. comicbooks.combl