They Give Their Lives, Do you Lend Your Savings?

WWI propaganda poster aimed at children, featuring strong Christian imagery.

This haunting image was drawn by Pennsylvania native Horace Welsh on behalf of the Committee on Public Information, Division of Pictorial Publicity in 1918. It uses one of the most recognizable Christian images, Golgotha, to encourage the audience to purchase war savings stamps in support of the ongoing conflict in Europe.

What makes the poster especially eerie is that this particular program was aimed primarily at children. Savings stamps were issued in either ten cent or twenty-five cent versions, encouraging contributions from all ends of the economic spectrum.