Life, 1919-09-18 · page 7 of 48
Life — September 18, 1919 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a cartoon and poem about Joan of Arc, the French military figure burned at the stake in 1431. The illustration shows a broken-down automobile surrounded by well-dressed figures—likely representing Allied nations or leaders during World War I. The poem interprets Joan's legend as a metaphor for France's suffering and resilience during the war. References to "the Maid came back before" and "the spirit of Democracy" suggest the author sees Joan as embodying French resistance and sacrifice. The automobile wreckage symbolizes the devastation of war. The caption's self-deprecating humor about offering "a blanket apology" frames this as satirical commentary on how nations invoke historical symbols to sustain wartime morale and justify continued sacrifice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Wr bet! igh hint 4 We Be : “ 1. KP. “i wallbasigs”” aoa ~£ © ence rt “LADIES, I'M LIABLE TO FORGET MYSELF AND SAY A FEW THINGS TO THIS CAR BEFORE 1 GET IT OUT OF HERE, TO SAVE TIME I'LL OFFER A BLANKET APOLOGY NOW” The Spirit of the Maid HE Hun has gone, and now Domremy stands Cast on men’s minds in coin-like effigy Behind the lines whose gaping guns are still, Mounted upon her Raising its spires like supplicating hands, She is the spirit of [ From ravished lands that knew the Vandal's will. The incarnation of quered France But pes ell, perhaps ‘tis idle talk And now they say she ha In forest glades in glimpses of the moon, Bright, steadfast spirit burning in her eye By cross-crowned mounds they have seen Jeanne d’Arc That looked through sheets of bigot-kindled flame, walk The spirit of immortal sacrifice lad in her peasant’s dress and wooden The torch that soon shall light for stricken France Whether the tale be true, we cannot tell On hearths from which the envious Hun was hu But this we know: the Maid came hack before, Home fires that in dear children’s eyes shall glance To cry to hearts heroic, * All is well.” The love-light of a new and better worl And shriek “ Allons!” across the tides of By which blind souls whe stemmed In darkest days when faith was all dismayed. Will tell the glorious tale of how And high explosives took the place of prayer, And held the line for freedom and f She was the only saint to whom men prayed. Hard by the sons of those who Amid the insane thunder and the glare. comicbooks.com