Life — November 9, 1922 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "They Shall Not Pass" — A WWI Drama This page presents Act I-III of a four-act play about American soldiers' reactions to World War I. The drama follows recruits from September 1917 through a May 1918 departure from New York Harbor, culminating in a front-line dugout in France. The satirical illustrations depict soldiers in various states—discovering they've been assigned to camps, celebrating departure, and finally in combat. The title references the famous WWI slogan "They shall not pass," meaning Allied determination to stop German advancement. The play appears designed to show American doughboys' emotional journey from naive recruits to combat-hardened troops, likely reflecting contemporary anxieties about American involvement in the war and soldiers' capabilities. The sketches use humor to address serious themes of transformation and sacrifice.