Life, 1911-07-13 · page 7 of 44
Life — July 13, 1911 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes class tensions in early 20th-century America. The cartoon shows wealthy people in an automobile, with the caption highlighting a "vulgar looking boy" waving. The accompanying article "Who is After Williams?" discusses Commissioner Williams and attacks allegedly "of German origin" against him, suggesting xenophobic concerns about immigrant influence. The satire critiques how wealthy Americans ("democracy of sport") exclude working-class people while simultaneously blaming foreigners for social problems. The automobile—a symbol of wealth and modernity—physically separates the rich from common people, undermining the stated "democracy." The German origin references likely reflect anti-immigrant sentiment typical of pre-WWI American magazines. The overall message mocks class hypocrisy masked as democratic ideals.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ALD, Who is After Williams ? HE World of June 24 quotes from a Berlin passages from newspaper the “ bitter attack" on the methods of dealing with immigrants in New York, by Baron Wart- egg, husband of Mme. Minnie Hauck, the singer. Baron Wartegg speaks very unkindly of the happenings at Ellis Island, the “filthy, unsanitary barracks there,” and the remarkably fine people, “ healthy, able-bodied, some well educated,” whom Commissioner Williams sends back by the thousand “because they have not WHO 1S THAT DREADFULLY “VULGAR? DEMOCRACY OF SPORT VULGAR LOOKING noy Me's THE BEST BALL PLAYER WE'VE the sum of money required to admit America.” attacks on Commissioner Wil- liams seem all to be of German origin. German Hearst may be remembered, that was the pio- the Hearst papers in. making them. Since anybody that knows Mr Williams and his work at Ellis Island, knows that he is an excellent commis- sioner, it is natural to wonder what is really at the bottom of this effort to get him out. The attack is German, the motive is almost surely a business Well, the German steamship lines do a great business in immigrants and Mr. Williams is probably an expen- them to These It was the paper, as neer of motive. you WAVED YOUR HAND Te cor. Out of .000 back year he must have sent at least three- Out of thousand that came, about twenty-five went back. at the cost of the steamship companies and that must have 1 them. commissioner for them. applicants sent sive about last fourths. every en quite expensive to Evidence ! RANDALL: Wat Spratt a popular ms The funeral was the insurani “ Popula only mourner at his company ILD oats should always be planted near a bank, comicbooks.com