Life — September 4, 1919 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Twixt Love and Duty" This Life magazine cover from September 4, 1919 depicts a uniformed military officer (identifiable by his cap and insignia) caught in a humorous dilemma. He's being pulled in opposite directions: toward a woman at an "Admission 25¢" booth (likely representing entertainment or romantic temptation) while simultaneously being tugged by children clinging to his legs (representing family obligations and duty). The title "'Twixt Love and Duty" plays on this tension. The cartoon satirizes the postwar period—likely commenting on servicemen returning from World War I facing the conflict between resuming civilian pleasures versus family responsibilities. The exaggerated facial expression emphasizes the impossible choice, making light of soldiers' readjustment challenges in 1919.