The Literary Digest – Page 15 – Old Magazine Articles

A Day in the Life of F.D.R.
(Literary Digest, 1937)

The attached article presented a dusk till dawn account of one day in the life of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882 – 1945).
Written during his first term (prior to the war), the journalist recounted who the reoccurring players in his life were, the time of his rising, the preferred meals, the length of the meetings, distractions, recreations and other assorted minutia -but you’ll not read the word wheelchair once. This is a fine example of the press black-out that was in place in order to prevent the public any knowledge whatever of Roosevelt’s paralytic illness, which rendered him paralyzed from the waist down (he suffered from Guillain-Barré syndrome which he contracted in 1921).

Read a 1945 interview with FDR’s economic adviser, Bernard Baruch; click here.
Click here to read about the four inaugurations of FDR.

Charles Lindbergh: Loved by the French
(Literary Digest, 1927)

For any American born after the death of De Crevecoeur (1813), it seems like a new day when a Frenchman has something nice to say about American culture, and that is precisely why this column seems so terribly unique.

The Steel Tree Stump, Part II
(Literary Digest, 1919)

A black and white photograph illustrating one of the many iron tree stumps used throughout the war which served as field observation posts. It was in the night, when work was done by both sides to preserve and refortify their respective trenches that objects such as these were erected.

U.S. Navy Fired America’s First Shot
(Literary Digest, 1917)

Printed five years apart were these two articles that we’ve attached herein collectively recalling three different events by three different services within the American military, each claiming to have fired the opening salvo that served notice to Kaiser Bill and the boys that the U.S. of A. was open for business:

•The first article recalls the U.S. Merchant Marine freighter MONGOLIA that sank a German U-Boat on April 19, 1917 while cruising off the coast of England.

•The second article chuckles at the Army for insisting that the First Division fired the premiere shot on October 23, 1917 in the Luneville sector of the French front;

•following up with the absolute earliest date of American aggression being April 6, 1917 – the same day that Congress declared war – when Marine Corporal Michael Chockie fired his 1903 Springfield across the bow of the German merchant raider S.M.S COMORAN on the island of Guam.

C.R.W. Nevinson Rants About the American Art World
(Literary Digest, 1922)

Sounding a good deal like Simon Cowell (b. 1960), British painter C.R.W. Nevinson (1889 – 1946) had some nasty words for the American people and the art market they created.

Here emphatically they have lost their courage. They are afraid to buy what they like; they rely entirely on the auction-room value. To read the American art news is like reading our Financial Times. The American art critic has no use for a picture which does not tell a story…

Pegged as a Futurist, Nevinson is best remembered for his W.W. I paintings of the Western Front, which can be read about here.

Two Governments Weigh In On The Titanic Disaster
(Literary Digest, 1912)

An overview of both the British and the American reports concerning the sinking of the Titanic.

An interesting comparison of the American and British official investigations of the Titanic disaster was published…the conclusions is reached that although the American investigators were practically an ‘avenging’ body and the English a ‘vindicating’ one, the recommendations made by the two come to very nearly the same thing…[but]in the matter of responsibility, the reviewer finds marked dissimilarity.

What is the Shape of an Iceberg?
(Literary Digest, 1912)

A short, well illustrated article which sought to answer the question which so many were asking in the immediate aftermath of the Titanic disaster

How big is an iceberg?

Titanic Obituary: Francis D. Millet
(Literary Digest, 1912)

Journalist, artist and American Civil War veteran Francis D. Millet, (1846 – 1912) was also one of the doomed passengers on board Titanic. Prior to the sinking, Millet had enjoyed some success as a muralist.

Among the institutions possessing canvases by Millet are the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Detroit Museum, the Union League Club, the Duquesne Club of Pittsburg, and the National Gallery of New Zealand.

The Bravery of the Titanic Musicians
(Literary Digest, 1912)

A short excerpt from the London Standard concerning the fortitude of the Titanic musicians:

We are usually a undemonstrative people, but the incident of the string band of the Titanic, it’s members gathered together to play the hymn Nearer My God to Thee, as the great ship settled for her last plunge, left men speechless with pity. It is a great incident of history, worthy to rank with the last parade on Birkenhead

Attached you will also find the musical score and lyrics of Nearer My God to Thee.

Clerical Reasons for the Titanic Disaster
(Literary Digest, 1912)

In the attached news report from The Literary Digest you will read an article that is composed of portions from various Christian sermons that were delivered throughout the United States on the Sunday following the Titanic sinking:

…The disease that is gnawing into our civilization are love of money and passion for luxury. Those two combined to sink the Titanic.

Responsibility for the Titanic Disaster
(The Literary Digest, 1912)

This article presents a broad survey of 1912 opinions concerning the Titanic sinking from a number of different sources. You’ll read the defensive statements of Joseph Bruce Ismay, the critical remarks made by Carpathia Captain Rostrom, the varying assignments of blame made by newspapers and assorted government swells as well as the broad understanding that wireless communication must become a standard piece of equipment for all ships. Also reported is the news of a mutiny on board the Titanic‘s sister ship, Olympic, which was also furnished with the suspect collapsible lifeboats.

Titanic Cartoons
(Literary Digest, 1912)

Four cartoons pertaining to the loss of Titanic; the drawings first appeared in four different newspapers from various parts of the the United States shortly after news of the disaster had spread.

The Popularity of War Movies
(Literary Digest, 1915)

Not surprisingly, special effects were an important box office draw during the Silent Era. This article reports on the popularity of war movies in 1915 and explains how some of the effects were created.

Posters Will ”Sovietize” the People
(Literary Digest, 1921)

Three years into the Soviet experiment, the ruling Bolsheviks were finding it difficult to win the ‘hearts and minds’ of the proletarian masses they so deeply loved (but refused to feed).

Additional magazine and newspaper articles about the Cold War may be read on this page.

Dissent in the Pulpit
(Literary Digest, 1917)

Shortly after the U.S. Congress declared war against Germany, a New York City minister named Dr. John Haynes Holmes (1879 – 1964) took to his pulpit and made a series of sound remarks as to why the United States had no business participating in the European war:

Other clergymen may pray to God for victory for our arms — I will not. In this church, if no where else in all America, the Germans will still be included in the family of God’s children. No word of hatred will be spoken against them, no evil fate will be desired upon them. I will remember the starving millions of Belgium, Servia, Poland, and Armenia, whom my countrymen may neglect for the more important business of killing Germans…

The Governor Who Threatened Martial Law
(Literary Digest, 1933)

An article about Governor Floyd B. Olson (1891 – 1936) of Minnesota who allowed his emotions to get the better of him one day in the early Spring of 1933 when he threatened to impose martial law throughout the state in order to confiscate private wealth should his proposed relief legislation fail to pass the Minnesota Senate:

Was former Democratic vice-President Henry Wallace a dirty Red?

A Church on Wheels
(Literary Digest, 1913)

In our era we think nothing of bookmobiles and bloodmobiles or any number of other converted trucks and vans that are fashioned for various unique uses; this link will enable you to learn about a Catholic chapel-on-wheels (a.k.a. the Jesus-Jalopy, the Nun-Truck, the Pope Pick-Up, the Bishop-Bus) from 1913, that very well might have served as the inspiration for them all.

Famous Edith Sitwell
(Literary Digest, 1927)

Edith Sitwell (1887 – 1964) had appeared on the literary horizon some fourteen years before this profile was read in the American press and by 1927 all concerned seemed to have decided that she had attained a respectable level of notoriety and was worthy of being labeled famous:

Miss Sitwell is described by THE SKETCH (London) as ‘an author who dislikes simplicity, morris-dancing, a sense of humor, and every kind of sport except reviewer-baiting.’