Life, 1908-02-13 · page 3 of 20
Life — February 13, 1908 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page features an article titled "Race Prejudice?" by William H. Corbin from the Chenango County Society at the Hotel Astor. Corbin argues that prejudice against Jewish immigrants in New York cities isn't actually prejudice but rather justified criticism of their behavior—describing them as "ignorant and dirty" but possessing "cunning" and "wicked" practices. The accompanying photograph shows a couple in formal dress labeled "The Boy I Left Behind Me." The article represents early 20th-century antisemitic rhetoric, presenting ethnic stereotyping as rational observation rather than prejudice. This reflects the period's widespread anti-immigrant and antisemitic attitudes in American publications, even those claiming satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Race Prejudice ? 'R. WILLIAM H. CORBIN, at a recent dinner of the Chenango County Society, at the Hotel Astor, is report- ed as saying, among other things: Another stream of young life is now pouring into the cities. As at Jerusalem on the ay, New York there are Jews 45% out of every nation under heaven, and from heaven knows where. Among them come countless youths, ignorant and dirty, but alert and eager; humble, but with the humility of the gutter and not of the farm. They are crowding the schools and high schools, and grabbing at learning as at something got for nothing, as they would grab for bread; ready to work at the most menial tasks, with the inherited sense of want and necessity; crowding their way up into the professions, to practise them as the merest trades for getting money; working with THE ROY I LEFT BEHIND ME avidity, skill and cunning, but with low ideals and sordid practices. Well, Lire would never dare to say that, even if he were so wicked as to think it. Mr. William H. Corbin must be an exceptionally wicked, as well as daring, man. Ominous If True THe nearest approach to a credible Jap-Yankee war symptom that has yet appeared is this: Special to the New York Times CixctNwatt, Jan. 25.—It was stated here to-day that Mrs. Bellamy Storer was to be decorated by the Emperor of Japan for her excellent work in Japanese bronze. Is it that the illustrious Mikado is not aware of that lady’s standing in the List of Undesirables? Or can it pos- sibly be that he does not care! 'HE man who asks to be allowed to xplain is self-condemned. “DE REASON why Mistah Taft’s so poplar,” said the old darky, “is jes’ becase he’s got so much pusanal magnitude.” There are 20.000 babies starving in New York— News of the Day. Ir THERE’S a more glaring anachro- nism than starvation, it’s a baby, and it is a nice adjustment of evolutionary forces where one abolishes the other. Favorite Quotations from Shakespeare HE Doctor’s: “Fill all thy bones with aches.” The Prohibitionist’s: 4 “I would fain die a dry AY Vi\) death.” pies The Automobilist’s: Go” “Seeking the ‘bubble’ reputation.” © AES fuer SIN z { , The Borrower's: “He & 4 that dies pays all debts.” Ni nt i NY J comicbooks.com