Life, 1922-08-03 · page 25 of 36
Life — August 3, 1922 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not satire**—it's a public health advocacy advertisement by Metropolitan Life Insurance. The page references Maeterlinck's symbolist play *The Blue Bird* (about seeking happiness) as a metaphorical frame for a serious social campaign. The piece argues that healthy babies are civilization's "foundation," and that thousands of infants die or suffer preventable defects yearly due to poor home conditions. It's a Progressive Era call-to-action: schools should teach motherhood; hospitals should hold baby clinics; Congress should pass health legislation (the Mothers and Babies Act); and communities must improve housing. The illustration (right side) appears to show a tower or beacon—likely representing hope or guidance toward better conditions. **Context for modern readers**: This reflects early-20th-century public health anxiety about infant mortality, tied to housing reform and maternal education movements. The insurance company positions itself as a civic-minded actor, distributing millions of educational booklets—combining corporate image-building with genuine health advocacy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Land of Unborn Babies ‘N Maeterlinck’s Play— “The Blue Bird,” you see the exquisite Land— all misty blue—where countless babies are waiting their time to be born. As each one’s hour comes, Father Time swings wide the big gate. Out flies the stork with a tiny bundle addressed to Earth. The baby cries lustily at leaving its nest of soft, fleecy clouds—not knowing what kind of an earthly “nest” it will be dropped into. Every baby cannot be born into a luxurious home— cannot find awaiting it a dainty, hygienic nursery, rivaling in beauty the misty cloud-land. But it is every child’s rightful heritage to be born into a clean, healthful home where the Blue Bird of Happiness dwells. As each child is so born— the community, the nation, and the home are richer. For just as the safety of a building depends upon its foundation of rock or concrete so does the safety of the race depend upon its foundation—the baby. And just as there is no use in repairing a building above, if its foundation be weak, there is no use in hoping to build a strong civilization except through healthy, happy babies. Thousands of babies— die needlessly every year. Thousands of rickety little feet falter along Life’s Highway. Thousands of im- perfect baby-eyes strain to get a clear vision of the wonders that surround them. Thousands of de- fective ears cannot hear even a mother’s lullaby. ‘The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company has been working years for improvement in home its po! conditions and surroundings and scsoleesia baving beled ery with unnecessary In 1921 the The work of of thie this Company has been of And thousands of physically unfit men and women occupy back seats in life, are counted failures—all because of the thousands and thousands of babies who have been denied the birthright of a sanitary and protective home. So that wherever one looks — the need for better homes is apparent. And wherever one listens can be heard the call for such homes from the Land of Unborn Babies. The call is being heard— by the schools and colleges that are establishing class- es in homemaking and motherhood; by public nurses and other noble women who are visiting the homes of those who need help and instruction; by the hospitals that are holding Baby Clinics. By towns and cities that are holding Baby Weeks and health exhibits; by magazines and newspapers that are publishing articles on pre-natal care. By Congress that has passed the Mothers and Babies Act, under which health boards in every State will be called upon to give information to expectant mothers. All this is merely a beginning— The ground has hardly been broken for the Nation’s only safe foundation —healthy babies—each of whom must have its rightful heritage —An Even Chance—a healthy body. The call will not be answered until every mother, every father and every community helps to make better homes in which to welcome visitors from the Land of Unborn Babies. dealing with the most important phases of health and Metropolitan dis- tributed 25,000,000 booklets METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE. COMPANY—NEW YORK comicbooks.com