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June 19, 2004 I first saw it on the top-shelf a bookstore in the small town of Ashland, WI. I was visiting some friends there and decided to do some shopping., but had resolved not to spend any money that day. But this book, "Dr. Seuss Goes to War--The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss Geisel" immediately grabbed my attention. If the title weren’t enough, the cover illustration was clearly a Seuss creation. Depicted was Adolf Hitler as sculptor, just finishing a statue of himself sitting on a horse with sword drawn, shield at the ready. Placing a swastika-bearing helmet on his head were cherubs with his likeness. Inscribed on the base of the statue were the words "Generalissimo Hitler." Removing it from the shelf, I began to page through it. I noted the publication date, 1999. I pay close attention to lists of new nonfiction books with political content, but somehow this one made it under my radar screen for five years. I soon discovered why: this book is contrary to the popular view of Dr. Seuss, writer of best-loved children’s books and left-leaning political views. My own opinion of him started with his Sierra-Club-like message in "The Lorax" and his nuclear disarmament stand in "The Butter Battle Book." But the art compiled here told a different story, so I bought it. All the editorial cartoons included in the book appeared in Daily PM between early 1941 and January 1943, a New York based no-frills, no advertising newspaper in existence from 1940- 1948. The book’s author, Richard Minear, includes historical information and discussions so the reader has the proper context to understand Dr. Seuss’s points. When the first cartoon appeared in PM, Dr. Seuss had already drawn humorous cartoons for magazines ranging from the obscure "Judges" to the prestigious "Saturday Evening Post." His books "And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street," "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins," "King’s Stilts" and "Horton Hatches the Egg" already were published. He showed a cartoon suggesting that Virginio Gayda, editor of "Il Giornale d‘Italia," a major publication of the Italian fascist regime, is a captive press agent and propagandist for the Italian fascists to a friend who worked for PM. The friend passed it along to PM’s editor, Ralph Ingersoll, who liked it so much that he printed it in late January 1941, the start of Dr. Seuss’ career at PM. Striking to me was how far developed his ideas were for his later books. An early Yertle the Turtle drawing, Sneetches with cat-in-the-hat top hats as Uncle Sam, weird animals and monsters, odd machinery and wide-eyed small animal observers to the action. All artistic elements worked harmoniously to persuade the reader of his anti-isolationist, antiracist, antifascist views, encouraging citizens to involve themselves with the war effort. Even more striking was how that many of these cartoons are timeless and are relevant to current events. From May 22, 1941, the scene is of a woodpecker with a huge beak bearing a swastika on its side is pecking through a tree named England. Downed trees laid around named after the European countries that had already fallen to Nazism. In the foreground, a content Uncle Sam Sneetch nesting in an undamaged tree says: "Ho Hum! When he gets finished pecking down that tree he’ll likely be tired." The one dated December 8, 1941 shows the word "WAR" exploding and a Sneetch with crossed-out eyes caught in the impact. The caption: "He Never Knew What Hit Him." Both of these show the danger of ignoring an imminent threat to our nation, which we found out again on September 11, 2001. There are those who think George W. Bush is the real threat instead of terrorists. The cartoon from June 2, 1941 shows Charles Lindbergh standing on a soapbox on a low cliff shoreline, patting the head of a swastika-laden sea serpent, stating ""Tis Roosevelt, Not Hitler, that the World Should Really Fear." In the background is an island with smoking buildings. Appeasers should take note of the August 13, 1941 installment. A smiling man standing on a rock surrounded by deep water with three lollypops in left hand, holding a fourth in the right out to fifteen swastika bearing sea serpents hungrily surrounding him. His remark: "Remember, One More Lollypop, and Then You All Go Home!" This reminds me of Winston Churchill’s quote: "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." A big problem currently is the mainstream press drumbeat of criticism of the current administration, from the President to the cabinet to the military while we are at war. Appearing on April 21, 1942 was an illustration of several reporters from prominent newspapers armed with bows and arrows hiding in a tree over a road. In the distance on the road are troops with tanks, Old Glory waving proudly. The reporter closest to the foreground says: "Just a little harmless game we call Popping the Commander in Chief!" Some elected Democrats have shamelessly played politics with the war on terrorism. On July 16, 1942, PM ran art that featured Uncle Sam walking a tightrope while holding a balance bar between two high cliffs. Below him is no safety net, behind and below him in the distance are mountaintops. On the near end of the balance bar are two fighting cats with the note "Cheap Political Cat Squabbles." A sign hanging on the tightwire states "Victory Plenty Far Ahead." The caption reads: Easy, there "EASY! No Acrobat is Fall Proof!" This book is not only a wonderful historical window into World War II, but is also another illustration to how far the political leadership of the left has drifted since the 1940s. Minear wrote that PM was a left-wing publication. Because of the themes of today’s left wing publications (comparing Bush to Hitler, for instance) in my mind, this conclusion is inescapable. ------------ About the author: Paul Carter is unique; he thinks that a Grant Green jazz guitar solo, The Federalist Papers, an El Greco painting, the National Football League, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church are all interesting. When not working a home business, he is a graphic artist. E-mail: paulcarterdesign@earthlink.net Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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