Life, 1910-03-03 · page 43 of 80
Life — March 3, 1910 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine (dated January 25, 1910) contains several satirical pieces: **Main Cartoon (top left):** An Irish immigrant, identifiable by stereotypical dialect ("O1'M SCARED T' OPEN UT"), dreads opening mail fearing news of his brother's death. The joke plays on working-class anxiety and ethnic caricature common to early 20th-century American humor. **"Busses Versus Trees":** A practical complaint about motor-buses on Riverside Drive being too tall and damaging tree branches—arguing buses should adjust to trees rather than vice versa. **"In Modern Times":** A philosophical quip about self-respect determining conduct toward others. **"The Right Sort":** A reader's letter—likely from a Jewish contributor—defending *Life*'s satirical treatment of ethnic and social foibles. He argues satire serves educational purpose, not malice, and supports the magazine's fair intent to "civilize" recent immigrant generations. This reveals *Life*'s self-conception as a genteel, reformist publication using humor for social improvement. The bottom illustration depicts the mythological Jason and the Argonauts.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LUPE * 387 a ~ Teresa live ety “ou! wirra! O1'M SCARED T’ OPEN UT. SOMETHIN’ TELLS ME UT'S FROM ME BROTHER JIMMIE SAYIN’ IE’S DEAD’? Busses Versus Trees T seems wrong to sacrifice all the lower limbs of the young trees in the Riverside Drive to the motor-busses. The busses are tip-top conveyances, but it is more prac- tical to adjust their height to the trees on the routes they travel than to maim the trees irreparably in order to give the busses more room. After a while the trees will grow up out of the busses’ way. “ G it all, Ethel, must your aunt go along?" . H Yes, Gegrge; but when everything's going nicely you can pretend that something’s wrong with the machinery and that it’s absolutely necessary to lighten ship so we won’t all be killed, and then we'll drop auntie overboard with the parachute.” In Modern Times MAN'S conduct toward others is determined by his re- spect for himself, not his respect for them. His respect for himself is the measure of his respect for others. Eli Is Right Again HE senior class of Yale University has voted that Lirx is the best of all the periodica It is quite logical that the highest class in the best Ameri- university should display such good taste and excellent judgment. (This acknowledgment was written by Mr. Metcalfe, who isa Yale man. It is agreed with, in part, by the other editors of Lire.) PIGRAMS are the lazy man’s’ way to avoid filling in the in his thought. The Right Sort Epitors oF Lire: Gentlemen :—I have and your letter addressed Subscription.” Iam a Jew—but the obligation is not imposed on me to suprort or defend vanity, selfishness an¢ ‘oth inst. To a Gentleman Withdrawing His. 1 your number of the , even when dis- played by some of my race. My duty is as an individual to When I fail in this and you satirize my weakness—then I wince. If I am ambitious for a I will sce the verity behind the if Tam troubled with what you call “1a wholesale ignorance of what live modestly and uprightly. are dishonorable objects in life, and what are dishonorable methods of pur: them," I will deceive myself by fortifyi my ig accusations of race prejudice. I do not know your purpose with respect to the fun-making and satire directed at objectionable people, but it is m do much to educ; and gentl nize many of us who are a generation or two away from their persecuted and restricted ancestors, whose characteristics were moulded by their condi- tions. From what I have seen of your paper I believe you bear this in mind—that your intention is fair and that there You hurt many of us, but it is the hurt that comes from the guilty conscience. Else why this sensitiveness? I say, thank you, Lirr. More of us ought to read your weekly Here is my $5 for a yearly subscription Very truly yours, M. C. ance with opinion that you is no malice or animosity. Ciicaco, January JASON AND THE GOLDEN FLEECE comicbooks.com