Life — December 9, 1926 — page 21: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon from *Life* magazine showing the U.S. Capitol building illuminated at night, while a figure labeled "World War Profiteer" sits contentedly by the Potomac River. The caption "All quiet along the Potomac—" references a Civil War-era phrase suggesting peaceful conditions. The satire contrasts the Capitol's symbolic representation of American government with the war profiteer's comfort, suggesting that while official Washington appears calm and orderly, wealthy industrialists are enriching themselves during wartime. This likely critiques American business interests profiting from World War I while soldiers suffered. The dark, ominous tone and nocturnal setting emphasize the hidden, shadowy nature of such profiteering beneath a veneer of normalcy.