Life, 1920-02-12 · page 29 of 44
Life — February 12, 1920 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece mocks how politicians across the political spectrum—Republicans, Democrats, business leaders, and labor organizers—all invoke George Washington to support completely opposing positions on the same issues (particularly a treaty, likely the League of Nations after WWI). The cartoon shows different speakers cynically appropriating Washington's authority: a Republican defends a treaty by citing Washington; a Democrat opposes it using the same figure. A business dinner speaker and labor meeting chairman similarly claim Washington backs their conflicting interests. The joke: Washington has become so universally revered and vaguely remembered that everyone can project their own agenda onto him. His actual positions matter less than his symbolic power. The page's title illustrations—showing a woman claiming men lack chivalry, and a widow wondering who built a monument—reinforce the theme of selective memory and self-serving interpretation of historical figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Miss Manleiyh: No, You CAN SAY WHAT YOU LIKE; THE MEN OF TO-DAY HAVE NoT THE CHIVALKOUS RESPECT FOR WOME The Widow Crow: 1 WONDER WHO HAS FRECTED THIS BEAU- TIFUL MONUMENT TO MY LATE HUSBAND! THEIR FATHERS HAD Versatile George R =PUBLICAN SPELLBINDER tangling treaty back on Woodrow Wilson and the designing diplomats of European polities, we appeal to the “In hurling this en- doctrines enunciated by that immortal American—George Washington!” Democratic SPeLtainprk “In challenging our op ponents on the issue raised by this monumental treaty, we look for our inspiration to that noble exemplar of unselfish devotion—George Washington!” ToastMAsTeR At Empioyers’ Dinner: “In turning our attention to the speaker of the evening, who will discuss the present labor ferment, let us do so with an eye single to our duty as upholders of the policies of the great Wash- ington!” CHaiRMAN oF Lapor Meetinc: “The first of the great Presidents, the man to whom all Americans look with reverence to-day, is the unquestioned and unquestionable authority for our demands—the only Washington!” comicbooks.com