Life, 1927-09-08 · page 15 of 36
Life — September 8, 1927 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This WWI-era satirical page mocks military life and German culture through several sketches. The top cartoon shows a sergeant interrogating a German prisoner, with dialect humor in the dialogue. "Some Service" depicts soldiers' experiences in the trenches, while "They Always Cheer" jokes about recruitment morale. A sketch labeled "If Barbara Fritchie Had Lived in Belgium" references the Civil War poem to satirize German conduct in occupied Belgium—a real point of Allied propaganda about German atrocities. "The War and Matrimony" section humorously lists reasons girls marry soldiers, ending with the dark joke that she'll never see him again ("because she is sure he will not come back"). The overall tone combines dark humor about trench warfare casualties with anti-German sentiment typical of American WWI propaganda.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Sergeant (taking tally of prisoners): ax’ witat’s yoru Name? Prisoner: vic ov A warrisinen, 1 HPINRICHE JOHANN ERNEST PRIEDER MARINGEN-SCH Sergeant? Wein, ViL JUST PET YE DOWN AS 1 “Wee IS FIRST mG SHEL In the Trenches Bill, we'll soon he done ste Pessinisr (stung with 7 AM HERR OWER-LECTENANT COUNT {VON DETWELLER UND sic ARTZWOLD, Oxe touch of Pr ANIL MACHRITZ VELL ANSWER TAR THAT YOR TITE PRESENT. Some Secvice Gexeea W most boastful d the way rk what he the German arm heen telling the we ing to do to when the outfit finally front lines, his com But Wash He peeked cauti activity fron 1 finally “Come on, Then DRINKIN Wash ¢ “Well,” , “no matter what you say pout dem Jummans, yo" gotta admit they suah sted Sergeant: THat’s ROUT, WILLIE; IF YE CAN'T svick ‘eM. mite ‘eM! They Always Cheer and a crowd recruit wll replied the 1 not who are not IP MARMARA PRIETCINE HAD LIVED tN MELGIUM. The War and Matrimony Reasons Why Girls Marry Soldiers Becavse he is an officer, Because he is a private he was drafted enlisted. he is in the infantry. use he is in the cavalry. p she is sure he will not come hack. 1917 Version “Dip he pay you « compliment? enough not to e said sweet you fellas, but tidy up the hattletiel “uey TH be the YS rd (pom EQS Thee! You iwier, Wwity poSr vor THAT'S SEL WOINT, OFf TOF Berlin or Bust! “Prace withe Pie with Both contra Berlin or t victory"; it crust Mover ANcTHrss k in ten thousand dollars s for the Red Cre oo GOING HOME comicbooks.com