Life, 1911-11-02 · page 18 of 56
Life — November 2, 1911 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is satirical commentary on the women's suffrage movement, presented as a mock "Husbands' Correspondence Bureau" advertising a congress to oppose women's rights. The cartoon depicts wealthy society women at Lenox (a fashionable resort), identified by their elaborate hats and clothing. The accompanying text parodies men organizing to combat women's demands for equality and voting rights. The satire mocks male anxieties by having the bureau propose absurd solutions: discussing "second wives," polygamy (referencing an "Abyssinian delegate" with ten wives), and a model village showing "wives living together in harmony" under husbands' control—presenting these as reasonable responses to suffrage activism. The tone is deliberately ironic: the author claims men are "champions of all women" while proposing to prove women unfit to "rule the household," using "publicity" to convince women to abandon their political aspirations. The lower cartoon titled "Salvage" makes an unrelated quip about musicians rescuing violins during house fires. This reflects early-20th-century anti-suffrage sentiment disguised as humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SEEN AT LENOX Reading from Left to Right: srs. parveNu PLUMPP, MRS. VAN DAMM ENVENSE, LORD HOLLOHEDD AND HIS ¥ however, that in stating this we do so with the most abounding affection for all women; there is no member of the feminine persuasion so homely utterly lost to every sense of grati- tude, for whom we cannot entertain deepest pity; even our former cept the last one—come un- der this head; and so far as she is concerned—while her last plea to the judge for increased alimory has tem- porarily put us out of patience with her—we have-no doubt that we shall come in time even to forget the de- plorable manner in which she has tried to injure us. As soon as we are happily married again — which, as things look now, will probably happen in about three weeks—we shall no doubt resume our usual condition of charity toward all and malice toward or so the wives— none. We are the champ seck only their good, which we know from past experience the noble art of looking households and keeping nm of all women: we ultimate consists in after our EE, MISS NANNIE GOODKETCH down the expenses while we are do- ing the work of the world, The task of laying out the pro- gramme for the Congress is enormous. The tall, handsome blonde who has charge of our office has been working night and day. We have just. suc- ceeded in renting the Martha Wash- ington Hotel complete during the time the Congress is in session, so that the wives of all delegates will be suitably provided for. The whole upper floor has been turned into a series of rooms for playing bridge. And other mno- vations are in process. In addition to the sual husbands’ de, which will occupy the entire length of Fifth Avenue, there will be a grand ball, an excursion to Ni Ils, and a daily session at which speeches and papers will be delivered, showing the progress of man and in- cidentally revealing the absurd claims of women to rule the household. This will all be done in the kindlicst spirit, but will be thoroughly convincing. A model village, showing a group of husbands and wives living together in harmony, will be one of the features. Among the subjects touched upon will be the following: “Second wives and their treatment.” “Should a man over fifty mar! girl over nineteen?” “Keeping ten wives in ease and luxury,” by our Abyssinian delegate. “The harem as an adjunct to civil ization,” by our Constantinople dele- gate. We think we may confidently pre dict that our Husbands’ Congress will mark the subsidence of the wave for woman suffrage which has been afilict- ing us for so long. Our motto is * Publicity.” Everything will be open and aboyeboard, and when the great power of this bureau is understood, when women come to realize that every husband in Christendom is firm in his stand, they will all accept the situation and settle down once more practical ideal, namely, us as we need to be ever to woman's taking care of taken care of, in order that the great work of the world may proceed in orderly manner. Our rates will be as usual, cash in advance, and all reports confidential. Call, write or wire, Husbands’ Correspondence Bureau. Salvage HY is it that President Taft, al though opposed to the recall in any iorm, is particularly opposed to the recall of judges?” “Why is it that when a musician’s tire, the first thing he car- ries out is his violin?” house is BACK TO WORK comicbookMeunl