Life, 1911-02-09 · page 33 of 44
Life — February 9, 1911 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains satirical commentary rather than political cartoons. The main content includes: **"The Literary Zoo" section**: A humorous essay by Clayton Hamilton critiques theater theory by comparing a Broadway play to a department store fashion show. The joke is that both involve silent women parading in expensive clothing to impress audiences—except plays are ruined because actresses actually speak, breaking the aesthetic illusion. **"A Justification of Spain in the Ferrer Case"**: This appears to reference Francisco Ferrer, an executed Spanish educator. The author ironically claims he'd only set Governor Wilson of New Jersey on fire "from a sense of duty" if it would convert him to Calvinism—a satirical jab at Wilson's religious rigidity and Spanish religious extremism. The page is primarily **advertising**: an Owen automobile ad emphasizing comfort and economy, and an Overholt whiskey advertisement. The satire targets intellectual pretension, religious dogmatism, and consumer culture's superficiality—typical *Life* magazine concerns of the Progressive Era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ghelireraryfoor Theatrical Theory There is grave reason to apprehenu that Clayton Hamilton spends very litle of his leisure in the department stores. Otherwise the brilliant young author of The Theory of the Theatre —a volume as amazing as a Nevada divorce—would have made less of a riddle out of his natural query: What Isa Play? In the modern department store the staff includes a force of young women hired with special ref- erence to their grace of deportment, their perfection of figure and their capacity to scem distinguished in every hue of the rainbow. As the new dresses arrive from Paris they are donned by these young women who parade in reposeful silence before an assemblage of the best customers. The idea is altogether French, but its vogue over here grows, day by day, tremen- dous. The spectacle, as the mute and moving maidens exemplify the latest fashions by wearing them, promotes the sale of enough chiffon robes to drive even a corporation lawyer into the bankruptcy court. Here we have a clue to the question that so puzzles Gayton Hamilton. A play is the de- partment store spectacle I have de- scribed, but the charm is taken out of it by the circumstance that the women who parade in the dresses are not mute. A Justification of Spain in the Ferrer se lf I could transform Governor Wil- son of New Jersey into a Calvinist by with a true, natural flavor of its own that iSeries aging in the wood GOOD OLD |e | OVERHOLT | fall perigee | the’ effort of pronouncing the mme—when a you order whiskey A. Overholt & Co. GPa, Pa. The OWEN Devoted to comfort and family touring The Owen is built on the same general lines as other cars of high class, with, however, these special features which afford a kind and degree of comfort hitherto unknown. Light weight — permitting the use of smooth easy springs which convert what would otherwise be a disagreeable jolt ‘into a gentle and altogether pleasing undulation. Large wheels (42 inches diameter) which pass over ruts and depressions as if the road were entirely smooth, Long-stroke motor (6 inches). the minimum of vibration. Left-hand drive (with single-lever control at right in the middle) which gives the driver easy control of the car. This works slowly and with The Owen is very economical to operate. reduce tire-expense; and the average gasoline consumption The large wheels is less than one gallon to fifteen miles. $3200. Send for catalogue. R M Owen & Co Lansing Mich %xu,2"" Reo Motor Car Co oventoar setting him afire, 1 would apply the seem to me no less noble than that of match from a sense of duty. But I Doctor Alexis Carrel, who, to alleviate live in the twentieth century instead the sufferings of his species, amputates of the sixteenth—I regret the fact as the limbs of poodles. I am in religion much as anybody—and I realize that what the vivisectionist is in thera- Governor Wilson’s ideas of transub- peutics with this difference: I perceive stantiation cannot be affected by the (Continued on page 323) incineration of his feet. I wish they could. If roasting Governor Wilson - would make New Jersey a Calvinist commonwealth as Geneva was, I would attempt that. My motive would Houbigant - Paris sisters In Every Store ality Only. 321 Perfumes and] TE SORT MT EON comicbooks.com