Life, 1911-07-20 · page 22 of 40
Life — July 20, 1911 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes sensationalist newspapers' self-aggrandizing coverage. The "News" section mocks how papers exaggerate their own importance—claiming credit for influencing Wall Street, receiving congratulations from foreign leaders (Emperor William), and solving crimes through their reporting. The cartoons illustrate absurd social situations: 1. **Top right**: A child threatens to slap Willie Jones over pulled hair—trivial domestic drama treated seriously. 2. **Bottom left**: A mosquito and companion discuss a restaurant's music, suggesting even pests enjoy refined dining. 3. **Bottom right**: An "Escaped Convictess" demands a stranger change clothes with her—illustrating the era's sensational crime reporting. The satire targets both newspapers' self-promotion and the public's appetite for melodramatic stories. Life mocks the pretension of treating minor incidents and crimes as major news.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
110 “LIFE: : News of the Day (A la Some of Our Esteemed Metropolitan Dailies) HE Peace Arbitration Tribunal submitted their next pro- gramme for meeting at Paris for approval of this paper. Upon exclusive news of favorable crops, which we pub- lished yesterday, Wall Street reacted favorably Emperor William of Germany sent us a congratulatory cablegram expressing his delight at our editorial, “The Fatherland.” Our reward of $1,000,000 for handsomest headwaiter cast of Rocky Mountains is attracting world-wide attention. The new minister from the Court of Great Britain called at this office and presented his credentials before proceeding to Washington. litor was erected in Central Park. forceful speech. Statue of our sportin Our new building was formally opened by President Taft. Eightecn murderers, fourteen child kidnappers and four t presidents were formally indicted and held for trial in mbs.Prison, upon information furnished to the authorities by this paper. Live's crusade against use of wooden toothpicks has cre- ated a storm of fecling by restaurants throughout the city. The District Attorney, in a long letter published on first p commends our course heartily. Mr, Mosquito: 1 TELL YoU, DILL, WE WERE LUCKY IN CHOOSING A RESTAURANT WHERE THEY MAVE MUSIC WITH THE MFALS. Sea SHadVenr A hes “LOOK MERE, WILLIE JONES, 1 DREAMT LAST NIGHT THAT MY HAIR ALL FULL 0" BURKS AN’ I'VE A GOOD MIND DU A GOOD SLAP” you stuc TO GIVE ‘TER late than never,” said the always cheerful com- muter as he reached the station just in time to see the Jast night train pull out for Wading Pond. Escaped Convictess: CMANGE CLOTUES WITIL ME AT ONCE