Life — December 7, 1928 — page 25: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a WWI-era satirical cartoon from *Life* magazine. The scene depicts military officers (identifiable by their uniforms and headgear) presenting what looks like weapons or military equipment to a group of children and civilians, including what appears to be elderly figures. The caption—"Wérkin' by next year, Papa?"—suggests dark satire about child labor or conscription. The cartoon likely criticizes either: 1. **Militarization of youth**: forcing children into military service or weapons manufacturing 2. **War's economic desperation**: making even children work to support the war effort 3. **Generational toll**: depicting how war consumes successive generations The crowded, chaotic composition emphasizes the scale of this societal problem. The cartoonist's signature appears to read "H. Gosha" or similar.