Life, 1911-12-28 · page 26 of 41
Life — December 28, 1911 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains political satire from the early 1900s addressing monopolies, banking reform, and socialist politics. The **"Contrasts" poem** mocks monopolists who control both political parties to guarantee victory regardless of election outcomes. It praises those who can smile while witnessing growing Socialist support—suggesting socialism was a rising political threat the establishment feared it couldn't stop. **"A Slight Disparity"** criticizes the **Aldrich Plan** (a banking reform backed by Republican Senator Nelson Aldrich and bankers). Congressman **Lindergh of Minnesota** publicly called it "the greatest monstrosity," while bankers endorsed it as panic-preventing. The satire highlights this stark disagreement: bankers promoted it as beneficial, yet Lindergh condemned it as dangerous—suggesting someone is deceiving the public. The lower cartoon and dialogue joke about economic hardship: a saleswoman prefers unemployment to marriage without financial security—dark humor reflecting Depression-era anxieties about male breadwinners.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB” Contrasts I" is easy enough to be pleasant, If a man is a monopolist and, in order to protect his interests, has se- cured control of both political parties, so that no matter which way the elec- tion goes he wins; But the man worth while, Is the man who can smile, When he sees the Socialist vote in- creasing by leaps and bounds and all efforts to stop it seem vain, M ARRY in haste; divorce at leisure. “WE DON’T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING—BUT WE'RE ON OUR Way” A Slight Disparity HE same Aldrich plan which the American Bankers’ Association unanimously indorsed is declared by Congressman Lindergh of Minnesota to be “the greatest monstrosity that was ever placed before the people.” It must be quite evident from this that somebody has made a mistake. We are quite sure that the bankers did not indorse this scheme under the impression that it was a monstrosity, and we do not think that Mr. Lindergh would apply such an epithet if it were indeed that panic- avoiding panacea which the bankers proclaim it to be. Mr. Aldrich and his co-cxperts may have done their work well, but so far they have been unable to make many outside of the banking fraternity believe it. IRST SALESLADY: Are you goin’ to marry that gen- Ieman that comes here every day? Secoxp Ditto: Nope. I'd rather have a job without a EICHT FEET OF HOSE, AND A SPRINKLER husband than a husband without a job. comicbooks.com