Life — September 2, 1920 — page 32: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This August 1919 *Life* page satirizes post-WWI politics and American foreign policy through multiple cartoons. The central image shows an old man telling a younger figure to "do better than this"—likely referencing Wilson's League of Nations efforts. "Making the World Safe for Germany?" mocks American policy as potentially benefiting Germany despite the war's outcome. "The Piker" depicts financial excess (the "$10,000,000" elephant) suggesting war profiteering. The railroad and taxation imagery reference postwar economic debates. "A Man is Known by the Company He Keeps" critiques associations with undesirable allies. The top vignettes reference Lipton (likely Sir Thomas Lipton, the tea magnate) and "Pauline" (unclear reference). Overall, the page expresses cynicism about whether American sacrifice achieved its stated idealistic goals.