Life, 1921-06-23 · page 9 of 36
Life — June 23, 1921 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical fable depicts various national figures as animals negotiating over a Chinese Dragon's corpse. The Lion (Britain), Eagle (America), Cock (France), Russian Bear, and Fox represent competing imperial powers seeking advantage from China's weakness during the early 20th century. The "consortium" refers to the international power-sharing agreements that Western nations and Russia used to exploit Chinese resources and territory. Each animal argues self-interested reasons for keeping the Dragon's "door open"—a reference to the Open Door Policy—while actually seeking economic dominance. The moral, delivered by Oliver Herford, satirizes how these powers hypocritically justify colonial exploitation as mutual benefit, when each nation primarily serves its own financial interests at China's expense.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
June 23 by W. H, Watxee, N his luxuriant garden, behind a high all, the Chinese Dragon lay nigh unto of old age and too much knowledge. he Beasts of the Field, seeing his plight, were moved with pity and wept to think that if the Dragon should die, the lvxuriant garden must go to waste. hat he needs,” .purred the Lion, sa dose of good British gold and plenty sh air, and the way to get fresh air ep with your door open.” The Consortium A Fable “By all means keep his door open nights,” squawked the Eagle, “ but, in my opinion, American gold is more strength- ening !” “Quite right about the door,” crowed Mr. Cock, “but why only one kind of gold?—surely a change of dict would be more beneficial !” “T agree with you all about his leaving the door open nigh: “but as the Dragon's neighbor and nearest YOUTH WILL BE SERVED, relative, I ought to have some say about his diet—” To this the Beasts agreed, and calcu- lating that there was charity enough in it for all, they thereupon decided to pool their pity in a consortium, “T don’t know what a consortium is,” growled the Russian Bear, “and I have no moncy and still less pity, but if the Dragon leaves his door open my chance may yet come.”—Oliver Herford. comicbooks.com