Life, 1910-04-14 · page 8 of 44
Life — April 14, 1910 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily an **editorial statement, not satire**, addressing subscriber pressure on the magazine to publish another "Improper Number." The editors firmly reject this demand, arguing one such issue was sufficient. They acknowledge the temptation but declare they have "courage and can resist." The illustrated figures reinforce the message: a figure labeled **"With"** (presumably representing compliance with pressure), contrasted with **"Nuff sed!"** (enough said) and a woman captioned **"He'll never Obey that Impulse"** (resisting impropriety). The editors invite subscribers to either accept their position or unsubscribe, offering a refund if they proceed without a second improper issue. **Context**: "Improper Numbers" were LIFE's risqué, humor-focused special issues that pushed contemporary decency boundaries—apparently popular but controversial with some readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
zi Perish the Thought! So many friends have written in urgent requests for us to issue another Improper Number that, much against our will and inclination, we feel obliged to make a final statement. Some think that the next Improper Number should contain all of the things that were rejected from the last one. Others think that the Improper Number should be a regular feature, on the ground that it holds impropriety up to ridicule, and is therefore teaching a great moral lesson. Pressure is being brought to bear on us from all quarters. And the most insidious part of the whole thing is that so many good and improperly improper things are coming in. It seems as if there were a conspiracy abroad to make us issue another , Improper Number. It’s a good thing we have courage and can resist. It’s a great temptation, but we are equal to it. Never again! We are sure we couldn't. It is, of course, possible that we may be driven into it after all, but we hardly think so. One is enough. All of our friends who wish to Obey That Impulse now and become regular subscribers are perfectly safe, so far as Improper Number Two is concerned. Incase we should decide to issue it (which we will not) we will arrange to deduct it from “Never!” their subscription price. In sending in your subscription therefore please specify whether you wish the Improper Number Two left off your subscription, and (in case we issue it) let us return you 10 cents of the year’s subscription. Every other number of LIFE will be as properly proper as proper people profess to prefer. The only possible danger would come from another Improper Number, and, as we have indicated, this will be guarded against in advance. In sending in your subscription specify With or Without. To all of our contributors who are sitting up nights trying to think of things for Improper Number Two we say, Don't! It only makes it harder for us and doesn't do any good. 4 “With.” "Nuff sed! “ He'll never Obey that Impulse.” Subscription, $5. . Canadian, $5.52. Foreign, $6.04. comicbooks.com