Life, 1911-04-20 · page 23 of 52
Life — April 20, 1911 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three separate satirical pieces targeting early 20th-century American social issues. **"Day of Rest"** mocks a remark attributed to Reverend Newell Dwight Hillis proposing two Sundays weekly. The satire uses reductio ad absurdum: if two Sundays are good, why not three, four, five, six, or seven? The joke targets both religious excess and illogical social reform arguments—pushing reasonable ideas to absurd extremes. **"Our Worst Fire Peril"** criticizes irresponsible smokers causing dangerous fires in libraries, factories, and buildings. The piece distinguishes between "civilized" smokers who recognize fire risks and "rang-a-tang smokers"—untrained, careless people indifferent to consequences. This reflects genuine Progressive-era fire safety concerns and class anxiety about urban working populations. **"Crowded Fifth Avenue"** satirizes Manhattan's overcrowding as commercial development spreads northward along Fifth Avenue, with factory workers now crowding the street at noon alongside shoppers, making it resemble less fashionable streets like Sixth Avenue. The accompanying cartoon about a child's milk allowance connects to the last article's crowding theme.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
787 Day’of Rest “This country needs two Sundays a’ week.” —Remark attributed to the Rev, . Newell Dwight Hillis, s° NDAY, the pearl of days, ‘theiday of rest— x Above all other institutions blest! Hillis is right—each week we should have two! But pray, is that the best that we can do? If two a week are good, then it would be Still better~Jogic proves it--to have three. Indeed, of such a splendid boon, the more We have, the more we need—so let's have four! With four achieved, still onward let us strive— Of Sabbath days each week should offer five No narrow, half-way limit let us fix To grand reforms like this—insist on six! reat And finally, to make earth just like kreaven, Let every week consist of Sundays seven! R. H. Titherington, s| 4 4 Our Worst Fire Peril HE State Library” fire, the New York factory fire and the recent burning of a Cambridge College dormi- tory seem all to have been sinokers’ fires, We have on hand a vast number of irresponsible smokers, whose burning cigarette butts fall anywhere they hap- pen to drop. No doubt the vogue of cigarettes has increased their number. A smoker reasonably well trained in the habits of civilization realizes that in his burning tobacco there is a possibility of damage. But the ‘rang-a-tang smoker, who is not trained to civilization, feels no responsibility and sces to nothing. He is the worst fire peril that we Crowded Fifth Avenue IFTH AVENUE, below Twenty-third Street, is bordered by tall buildings full of workmen, who crowd the side- walk at the noon hour. Fifth Avenue, in the Thirties, is going to show the same phenomena. So, too, in the Forties, doubtless, After awhile the Avenue promises to be crowded in two ways: By shoppers, like Sixth Avenue or Twenty-third Street; and at noon and in other hours by employees of man- ufacturers. When will talk begin again about cutting a new strec! Pupsey: NOW 1 KNOW WHY I'M ON A SHORT ALLOWANCE OF through, north and south, between Fifth Avenue and Sixth? MILK, comicbooks.com