Life, 1906-05-03 · page 27 of 44
Life — May 3, 1906 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece proposes that New York City burglars should unionize—elect officers, establish territorial rights for resident criminals, and create "burglar-insurance." The joke mocks both the organized labor movement (unions were a heated contemporary issue) and the perceived incompetence of police, by suggesting criminals deserve the same professional protections and business legitimacy as legitimate workers. The accompanying illustrations show two contrasting marriages: one couple who "seem of one mind" despite obvious incompatibility, and another happy family. The "Universal" caption jokes that one can hate people without meeting them—citing "Central" (likely the telephone exchange operator), a common frustration point for early-20th-century Americans. This reflects Life magazine's satirical approach to urban problems, labor disputes, and domestic life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE- 559 handiness in certain ways as a book of reference. Its text, historical and topographical, may, for our purpose at least, be disregarded, but its convenient maps, its comprehensive chronological tables and its reference ropean painters, :culptors, architects and musi are innovations which mark the volume off from its kind. J. B. Kerfoot. Lady Baltimore. By Owen Wister. (The Macmillan Company. $1.50.) The Evasion. By Eugenia Brooks Frothingham. (Houghton, Miflin and Company. $1.50.) Christian Origins. By Otto Paeiderer, D.D. (B.W. Huebsch. $1.75.) Chatwit, the Mantalk Bird. By Phillip Verrill Mighels. (Harper and Brothers. 81.50.) The Triumphs of Eugene Valmont. By Robert Barr. (D. Appleton and Com pany. 81.50) The Cruise of the Conqueror. By G. Sidney Paternoster. (L. C. Page and Company, Boston. $1.50.) How to Prepare jor Europe. By H. A. Guerber. (Dodd, Mead and Company $2 00.) Will Our Burglars Please Organize ? UCH discomfort could be avoided by a proper organization of the burglars of New York, and the election of representative officers with whom the public could deal. As things go now the great industry of’ burglary, thriving as it is, is not upon a satisfactory basis. For one thing, there is no burglars’ union, and outside operators are free to come to town and poach upon what ought to be the exclusive preserves of our resident, taxpaying cracksmen. A proper union with a competent entertainment committee would quickly put a stop to that, and a householder who woke up in the night to find a masked intruder making selections from WHY THEY MARRIED NOW HERE AS AC WHAT ON FART! WHY, ME DIDN'T Ca: AND IT'S FUNNY, BOT NEITI WH SEEM OF ONE NSD. ry'D AGREE? BLY KIND, his stock of hardware and jewels could go to sleep with some feeling of assurance that the right men were on the job. Again, in reclaiming heirlooms and articles roore valuable to the original owner than to the transferee, it would be of the greatest convenience to deal with respectable and authorized persons at first hand, instead of being exposed to the rapacity of various intermediaries. Moreover, a thoroughly organized union, under good dis- cipline, and with strict limitation of the number of apprentic would be in an excellent position to carry on a business of burglar-insurance. This business, as it is,is very considerable, and growing very fast. As things are now the burglars promote it by their industry without receiving—so far as known—any share in its profits. Surely the laborer is worthy of his hire. If the burglars themselves should insure, it would greatly help the reputation of their profession and at the same time bring them in a steady and reliable income. We wish very much that something could be done on the lines here suggested. The police keep fair order in the streets, but the burglars play tag with them. When the late Mr. Travers was invited to see the terrier kill the rat, and saw the rat drive the terrier into the corner, he suggested buying the rat. Universal “MAMA, is it possible to hate any one you have never met and don’t know. personally?” “Certainly, darling; don't we all hate ‘Central?”” DOLISH, HAPPY PEOPLE MERE, MENITABLE AND IARRY, DISDAINING QUITE THOSE WORDS oF “PUNCH” To THOSE ABOUT TO MARRY! comicbooks.com