Life, 1909-06-10 · page 7 of 32
Life — June 10, 1909 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces of satire: **"Goldman and the Government"** (top article): A commentary on Emma Goldman, the anarchist activist. The text sarcastically notes that after "much travail," the government has officially declared Goldman an alien. The author (Ellis O. Jones) mocks the irony: whether Goldman is "good or bad," the government's concern is simply that she's "out of touch" with her environment. The piece ridicules both Goldman's radicalism and the government's bureaucratic response to her. **"The Flirt" illustration and "Rogers/Randall" joke**: A separate satirical cartoon showing flirtation, paired with a brief joke about piano payments—typical light social humor of the era. **"Invulnerable"** (bottom photo): An unclear dramatic photograph, possibly illustrating another narrative. The Goldman piece reflects early 20th-century anxieties about anarchism and immigration.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIP Goldman and the Government JT 2c2 2imating to see our mighty nation worrying itutf sick about Emma Goldman, After much travail, it has finally so marshalled the constitution, the written and unwrit- ten laws, the judiciary, the seeret service and other intricate government machinery as to declare officially that she is an alien. Please take notice. Emma Goldman is now an alien. Whether she is better or worse for having her category changed, deponent saith not. Possibly, ere long, we shall further contrive to set her adrift with Castro, like Hale’s mous not-hero, as an example of how petty a modern world power may be. The utter harmlessness of Goldman is shown in her own naive confession, in a moment of intense egotism put for- ward as a claim to consideration, namely, that she is between 7000 and 8000 years ahead of her time. If that is even ap- proximately true, we don't care whether she’s good or bad. To be sure, she ought to feel worried that she is so out of touch with her environment; but the rest of us, being the en- vironment, ought to be serene. Why, the coal deposits are to give out long before that, but, when the yellow journals an- nounce the fact in scare heads, we don’t raise an eyclid. We don't even rejoice at the remote prospect of escaping the coal trust. No, Emma, that will not do. What you need, Emma, is a brake. You are on the wrong end of immortality. It is bet- ter to be behind the times than so far ahead. Perhaps, after all, a government, imperfect at best, may be excused for acting foolish about such a remote entity, just as astronomers disagree about comets, moon canals and Mars’ people. Ellis O. Jones. —— THE FURT OGERS: Have you had good luck with your piano? wires Hee Raxpatt: Splendid! It lasted until we got it paid for. Copyrighe 109 by Life Pottihing Company INVULNERABLE comicbooks.com