Life, 1911-04-20 · page 16 of 52
Life — April 20, 1911 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Section ("The Need of the Hour"):** This is satirical commentary on American wealth inequality and the concentration of power among industrialists ("magnates"). The text ironically argues that America needs *more* wealthy tycoons, treating them as a necessity like population growth requires. The satire targets the era's obsession with the ultra-rich while pretending to admire them—phrases like "muckraked" (referring to muckraking journalism that exposed corruption) and "toadied to" reveal the critique beneath the mock-earnest tone. The medieval tale quoted above sets up the irony of false modesty among the powerful. **Bottom Section ("Modern Problems"):** A math-problem format satirizes Congressional dysfunction and professional ethics in medicine. It mocks how Congress's special sessions stretch beyond scheduled three-month sessions with undefined length, suggesting political inefficiency. The appendicitis problem critiques surgeons' conflicts of interest—whether financial incentives (higher fees) rather than genuine medical need drive surgery decisions. Both problems suggest institutional corruption and self-interest masquerading as duty.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Te ete eR “AND MARK YE! GOOD MERWIN, 'TWAS ONLY WHEN THEY BESOUGHT MIM TO TELL THE TALE THAT WE ADMITTED HAVING SLAIN THE TEN GIANTS AND THE DRAGON.” “IN SOOTH, HE MATH EVER BEEN A MODEST KNIGHT,” The Need of the Hour Tis great increase in population as shown by the census proves conclu- sively that we can support more magnates in this country. Magnates per capita have not kept pace with progress along other lines. This is the crying need of the hour—nay, of the very moment. We need new and shining magnates, magnates that can be reformed, magnates that can be muckraked, magnates that can be toadied to, magnates that can be pointed to with pride and derision, magnates whose wives can put society on a higher scale than ever before, magnates who can be philanthropists along fresh lines and in greater quantity than heretofore, magnates that will give up-to-date advice, magnates that will invent new methods of spending and displaying wealth. We are rapidly getting tired of the old ones. They have lost their novelty, their tang, their zest. They are trite and uninter- esting. They seem to have got to the end of their string. Ring out the old. Ring in the new. “ipo! COME AWAY FROM THAT COARSE PERSON AT ONCE!” Modern Problems ET three months represent the length of a regular ses- sion of Congress. Then let X be the unknown length of a special session. Find the real issue in American politics. If the average cost of an operation for appendicitis is five hundred dollars, how long will it take the average sur- eae xeon to decide whether or not to operate? How long if the * cost 18 one thousand? Answer should be expressed in terms of professional ethics. “DON'T BE AFRAID, MISTER 16'S JUST HAD IS DINNER.” icbooks.com