Life, 1921-08-18 · page 24 of 35
Life — August 18, 1921 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes British authors lecturing in America after World War I to earn money—specifically referencing the financial debt Britain owed the U.S. following the war. The poem names **G.K. Chesterton** and **H.G. Wells** ("G—orge and W—lpole") as prominent British writers who came to America on lucrative lecture tours, supposedly to help repay Britain's war debt. The satire mocks this supposed patriotic motivation, suggesting they were simply chasing American money ("the glint of jack"). The joke: Britain, now financially desperate, is "exporting" its literary talent to extract dollars from wealthy Americans. The author warns that if this continues, America itself will go broke—the irony being that Britain hired these writers *because* America was wealthy enough to pay them. The byline "Baron Ireland" underscores the satirical tone of this economic anxiety about British cultural and financial influence in post-war America. The bottom cartoon strip about Simkins's Newfoundland appears unrelated to the main content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Then Mr. G. K. Ch—sterton Appeal to American Authors The Best Novels (Who cimaly can't wvive dolly) The pound sterling has risen 214 cents— Beauty, by Rupert Hughes. A novel News Item. HEN Kaiser Wilhelm’s little war Was (none too quickly) ended, And when in one triumphant roar The nations’ cheers were blended, Great Britain found that she had come To owe the U. S. quite a sum. Perceiving in that fact great harm, A tide of immigration Of British authors in alarm Set in toward this our nation; By lectures purposing to get Enough to clear their national debt. From leaving Britain, true, they shrank, To sail for far dominions And educate the simple Yank Upon their own opinions; But when they caught the glint of jack ‘The army couldn’t hold them back. Thus, G—orge and W—lpole keenly felt The call to come and lecture, And each filled up his money-belt With gold beyond conjecture (If I exaggerate a bit, No harm—you see the point of it). with a frozen heroine as a centre piece. In Mr. Hughes’s best-—and worst—manner. The Man Who Did the Right Thing, by Sir Harry Johnston. The author of this book, a noted zodlogist, has made a great reputation as a fiction writer within the past two years. His first book, “The Gay- Dombeys,” published in 1919, was received with great favor. In some respects this last volume is a distinct advance on the others. The Wrong Twin, by Harry Leon Wil- son, An entertaining book by an always entertaining writer. Galusha the Magnificent, by Joseph_C. Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln still has his Cape Cod well under control. A work of fiction that is a distinct relief. Homely and wholesome. Shallow Soil, by Knut Hamsun. Great writing by one of the best of Norway’s novelists. Other Books Queen Victoria, by Lytton Strachey. The best biography of a great character that has appeared in many a long day. Books on the Table, by Edmund Gosse. Simple literary talk by a distinguished English man of letters. Character and Opinion in the United States, by George Santayana. Elegant and profound writing about this coun- try. Came over and kept up the fun, Tho’ people said, “Well, rully, How vurry, vurry bad this is!” (But Ch—sterton was getting his.) * * * Now, authors, if this sort of thing Goes on the least bit farther The country’s credit’s going bing! What? Serious? Well, rarther You will perceive I do not joke When these U. S. are stony broke. And so the fell conspiracy To take away our lucre Ere it become catastrophe It’s up to us to euchre. And we can do it, it’s my hunch, By selling all our stuff to “Punch.” So now, boys, all together, heave! Get down into the collar! And with the pounds that we receive Sustain the dropping dollar. By this bright stratagem we'll save America—long may she wave! Baron Ireland E ce ee LUAU ONO UA eu est 2 Nt an Why Simkins no longer boasts of the helpful cleverness of his pet Newfoundland dow: of th in th flow: were and besi¢ comicbooks.com