Life — September 11, 1919 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This sketch depicts a man holding a young child on his lap. The title "Daddy's Service Stripes" refers to the military stripes visible on the man's uniform sleeve, suggesting he's a serviceman or soldier. The satire appears to comment on fatherhood during wartime—specifically, the idea that a father's "service" includes both military duty and domestic responsibilities like childcare. The child represents the "stripes" of service earned through parenting duties, humorously equating civilian family obligations with military rank insignia. This likely dates from a period when Life magazine addressed how war affected home life and family structures, treating the dual "service" of soldiers who were also fathers as worthy of satirical commentary.