Life, 1911-05-18 · page 18 of 42
Life — May 18, 1911 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes **Mormonism and its public relations efforts**. The main article "Mormons Are Wriggling" critiques the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for launching an advertising campaign to counter allegations of immorality and polygamy. The author argues that publicity—"drawing the curtain" on their practices—is the real solution, not advertising claims of respectability. The cartoon below shows a **Rector and a working man** in dialogue about swearing and prayer. The joke mocks religious hypocrisy: both engage in their respective practices (cursing and praying) without genuine sincerity or meaning behind the words. The "Cities" section uses humorous personification to mock American urban characteristics—New York as "Velocity," Washington as "Verbosity"—typical period satire of contemporary life and politics. The **"Signs" section lists Jewish surnames**, likely mocking a particular trend or stereotype contemporary to the publication's era, though context here is unclear without additional page information.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WOKST MANAGED PLACE 1 EVER SAW, THE NECTAR'S FLAT AND THE AMBROSIA’S AS TOUGIE AS SitOF Chronic Kicker LEATHER church has even started a movement for public investigation of charges 1 in England that it induces imm of women for immoral purposes. this turning on of searchlights is useful, and moderate cost of inaccuracy too high to pay for it. The cure for Mormonism is publicity ts start Mormons Are Wriggling HE magazine advertising the Mor- mons have had seems to have done good. They say they have been slan- dered and are trying to prove it, Pres- ident Smith insists that the Mormon Church continues to be officially an:l sincerely inst polyg r is not Tt got dead successful segregation. Its strengt is in scercey. Draw the curtain on it; keep it where its- people will have to stand comparison with other people and its doctrines with other doctrines and time will do the rest. Cities A200? all-round place—Obesity An honest place—Veracity The census padder—Mendacity Washington—Verbosi A roomy town— New York- KY AUMGARTNER, ABINOWITZ AFALSKY WINEEFISTEIN OLFSHEIMER DLER BRAMOWITZ The Rector: 17's TERRIBLE FOR A MAN LIKE YOU TO MAKE EVERY OTHER WorD AN OATH, The Man: om, WELL, 1 SWEAR A GOOD DEAL AND YOU PRAY A GOOD DEAL, BUT WH DON’T NEITHER OF US MEAN NUTIIN’ BY 17. ALF the world doesn't know how many things the other half is pay- instalments on, comicbooks.com