Life, 1911-05-25 · page 9 of 42
Life — May 25, 1911 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes J. Bounder Ballingford, Life's special correspondent sent to cover King George's coronation in London. The cartoon depicts Ballingford as an absurdly over-equipped journalist, surrounded by excessive luggage and supplies. The satire targets pretentious American press coverage of British royal events. Ballingford exemplifies the stereotype of the self-important American reporter—arriving with unnecessarily elaborate equipment, servants, and entourage to cover what should be straightforward reporting. The second illustration shows "the King dictates his invitation to the Lord High Privy Typewriter," further mocking the grandiose preparations surrounding the coronation event itself. The piece humorously questions how American journalism will cover this "greatest event in the English-speaking world" while subtly critiquing both American media excess and British pomp.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
~LITFE Off for the Coronation J. Bounder Ballingford, Life's Special Correspondent, Sails for London—His Eminent Qualifications DEPARTURE OF J, BOUNDER BALLINGFORD CCOMPANIED by a retinue of typewriters and secretaries, our special Coronation Correspondent, J. Bounder Ballingford, sailed last week for London on the Lusitania, where a suitable suite of apartments had been set aside for his exclusive use. The scene on the dock as our corre- spondent embarked baffied even our descriptive. pen. Representatives of the Press Club, including some of our best-known tailors and haberdashers, were .on hand to see him off. The press gen- erally sent delegates, thus show- ing their appreciation of the effort Lire is making to have the coronation correctly re- ported, according to the latest methods. Mr. Ballingford while in Lon- on will room next to the King in Buckingham Palace, and other apartments have been set aside for his assistants. Pri- vate wires will lead directly from his headquarters to the THE KING DICTATES HIS IN wireless telegraph station at Land's End. King George has expressed himseli privately to us as being very grateful, not only for the privilege of entertaining our correspondent, but also for the en- terprise we have shown in doing justice to the coronation. “My house is your home,” he cabled at once on receipt of the news that Mr. Ballingford was about to embark. This is the right spirit that will unite two nations ever more firmly in the bonds of peace and plenty. For several months we have been searching for the right man to report the greatest event in the English-speak- ing world. We wanted a man who would uphold the dignity of American journalism. We wanted a man who would never obtrude himself upon any one—except, of course, when it was necessary to ob- tain what he wanted. We wanted a man who would pre- serve the best traditions of true Amer- ican courtesy. In J. Bounder Ballingford we found everything that could be desired. Twice a member of Congress, an editorial ITATION TO THE LORD HIGH PRIVY TYPEWRITER writer on the New York Sun for two years, ohe of the star reporters of the Police Gazette for five years, once dis- charged from the New York Journal be- cause they were afraid of his methods, head waiter at six leading hotels in New York in five years, author of four best sellers issued by the Bobbs-Merrill Company in the space of seven months, private secretary to T. R.—but why go on? Mr. Ballingford’s record was all that could possibly be desired, Having started the war with Mexico and got it going, he was temporarily resting from his labors by visiting Col- onel Roosevelt, when we sent for him. The interview with him is now history. Explaining briefly the object we had in mind, we came bluntly to the point. Mr. Ballingford, we wish to have you report the coronation according to the latest modern methods and with the best possible taste, in order that our reputation may be sustained at the Brit- ish court. What are your terms and when can you start?” Mr. Bounder Ballingford moment and replied: ¢ dollars a word, all my traveling expenses, harem skirts for my retinue and all equipment. “What is your ment?” “A pair of scaling ladders, a dark lantern, a set of burglar’s tools, about twenty-five pounds of dynamite, a book cn etiquette and evening clothes. “Good! Consider yourself engaged.” The next few days were busy on for all hands. At our suggestion Mr. Ballingford shaved and had his hair cut, the English press was notified, the King cabled, and in fact everything done for Mr. Pallingford’s comfort. When it was learned that our corre- spondent was off for London, a lar; crowd of our best society people in- sisted upon accompanying him. This leaves us in this country tempo- rarily short of these useful adjuncts of our civilization, How shall we get along without them? is the question that naturally sug- gests itself to every thoughtful Amer- ican. The importance of the question i: thought a idea about equip- comicbooks.com