Life, 1910-05-26 · page 25 of 44
Life — May 26, 1910 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Upper Section - "Drastic Remedy Suggested":** This article criticizes American newspapers for romanticizing murderers. The author argues that sensational coverage creates heroic narratives around criminals—particularly young men who kill women—encouraging similar crimes. The piece proposes editors should instead describe such murderers as "conceited degenerates" with unglamorous headlines to discourage copycat killings and restore public trust in newspapers. **Bottom Cartoon - "The All-Important Question":** A silhouetted scene shows a young graduate asking his father "Well, dad, I'm educated now, what next?" while the father walks with a small dog. The satire mocks the disconnect between education and practical employment prospects—suggesting that academic credentials alone provide no clear path to a career or meaningful life purpose. It reflects early 20th-century anxiety about education's actual utility. **Context:** The reference to "Theodore's Return" in another article likely refers to Theodore Roosevelt.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
969 ing, is to increase crime by attributing picturesque and heroic qualities to un picturesque and cowardly individuals The fact that so many other “ romantic heroes"? of the sensational newspaper have escaped punishment adds an ob- vious incentive to this kind of notoriety: What we seem to need more than any- thing else is a punishment for murder that shall be ridiculous as well as fatal This is probably impracticable. But a great good would be accomplished if our friends the editors would éxercise their known worldliness and frankly describe the “romantic type of murderer as a conceited degenerate 1 few headlines : ate Shoots Wise Girl.”’ w Gun Was Loaded.”’ “Driven Mad By Conceit,’’ ete., ete. Such an attitude would not only tend to decrease murder as a popular pastime, but would increase the respect of the in- telligent public for the veracity of news- papers, RW. B. Uncle Sam's Prayer on Theodore’s Return ELP us to bear the man; help us to listen with patience and forgive- ness; help us to thank our lucky stars for this last year’s vacation; for rested nerves; for freedom from sudden shocks; for mothers’ long immunity; for cumulated strength to bear the future. coal / “LL stxe THEE soxcs oF Albany.’ Drastic Remedy Suggested CCORDING to recently published statistics more murders are com- mitted in proportion to the actual num- ber of men, women and children in the United States than in any other country civilized enough to provide statistics Also it appears that a smaller propor- tion of these murderers are convicted and punished. Judging by the newspapers of r910, the proportion of murders is keeping right up to previous records. The young man who kills the young woman who has the obvious good sense not to fall love with him is as busy as ever— the word “romance” is being used as frequently and journalistically in con- nection with him. The effect of this. as has been frequently pointed out by observers whose opinion is worth not- THE ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION Graduate: WELL, DAD, I'M EDUCATED, NOW, WHAT NEXT? comicbooks.com