Life — July 8, 1909 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Departmental Ditties: At Sea" by Harry Graham This page satirizes nautical etiquette and behavior through humorous "rules" for ship passengers. The left illustration shows men in formal dress losing their balance—mocking the pretension of maintaining decorum at sea. The poem advises against typical passenger behaviors: giving unsolicited advice to captains, discussing seasickness openly, complaining about rough passages, or using affected nautical slang like "Yo ho!" The satirical "Maximes de la Vie" mock those trying to appear experienced sailors. The bottom section, "The Alcoholic Speedway," humorously illustrates the progression from light drinks (lemonade) through increasingly strong alcohol to absinthe, ending with a tombstone marked "R.I.P." This darkly comedic sequence jokes about alcohol's dangerous escalation—a timely reference given early 20th-century concerns about drinking culture.