Life, 1921-02-10 · page 23 of 42
Life — February 10, 1921 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon depicts the incoming Warren G. Harding administration preparing to take office on March 4, 1921. The satirical title suggests politicians are literally "digging in" for the transition of power. The image shows various government and business figures gathered—likely representing Harding's cabinet selections (the text mentions Secretary of State candidates like Root and Hughes). The accompanying article discusses post-WWI financial issues: whether America should forgive European war debts owed to the U.S., and how private enterprise (like Hoover's relief efforts and the Foreign Trade Financing Corporation) fills gaps when government fails. The satire critiques both European debt negotiations and the media's obsessive speculation about Harding's cabinet appointments while he relaxes in Florida—suggesting journalists are actively shaping political narratives through their coverage rather than simply reporting events.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
of our d the rat is, pres: new eo war ration efore mme- He t up dl be oun- DIGGING IN GETTING READY FOR THE GREAT ADVANCE OF MARCH 4TII cencel the five billion dollars that France owes to ts to offset the mitigation of her claims against Germany. If we should do that, it' might help materially, Mr. Si- monds thinks, to help France scale down her claims. That is a good deal to the point body who thinks the various Alli ever pay back to the United States the moneys furnished them by our Govern- ment to carry on the war must be very sanguine. We put that money into the war. It is part of our war debt and we shall carry it or p it. The use of Europe's debt to our government is going to be that when the time comes for a bar- gain to all the world’s advantage, we shall have those debts to bargain with. That Europe, now scrambling to avoid starva- tion and taxed out of almost all the possi- bilities of living, should ever be burdened with getting together the billions to pay back its money debt to this prosperous country is at present a distressing thought, but whenever the new light that) Sir Philip Gibbs refers to controls the gov- ernments of the nations, those debts will come in very handy in promoting an ad- justment that will be to the general ad vantage, including our own. Just as France argues that Germany, though short of means at present, will eventually be rich again and able to pay an immense sum in reparations, so it may be argued that Europe will eventually her debt to us. And she will, unless she goes to smash. But whenever it appears that ‘ancelling that debt will really help Eur ope back to sanity and health, it will be able to pay not only good morals but good business and good sense to cancel it. But before anything like that looks attractive there will have te be a new crowd in charge and a new spirit in power throughout most of Europe. Meanwhile, what private business enter- prise in this country can do for Europe is by way of getting done. The Hoover effort to keep the children of Middle Europe alive goes on well and will suc ceed; the banking cffort to provide credit for Europe to buy on through the For- eign Trade Financing Corporation is ing pretty strong and looks promising When government falls down, private en terprise gets its opportunity M* HARDING at this writing he ped from all the best mind resting his head in Florida, drifting in a house boat and conversing with alligators, while the Washington correspondents ¢ their own way altogether with his cabinet, One day they put in both Mr Root and Mr. Hughes; reinstall Mr. Hughes as Sceretary of State and excuse Mr. Root, The day the next day they lowing they suggest that Mr. Harding once he has © up his mind, sets like Portland cement, and, of course, he may have picked his cabinet; and if he has what's the use of talkin the espondents have helped al about the cabinet, if only by keeping up the interest. It helps a pitcher to have a good crowd of fans his strategies, and he doesn't mind if they are noisy. Considering the of the world, p ds i ing that our I lent-to-be for his execptional dexterity in concilia- tion E, S. Martin. comicbooks.com