Life, 1912-03-07 · page 17 of 60
Life — March 7, 1912 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct sections: **The Title Contest:** Life magazine displays a dramatic dark illustration (appears to show figures in classical or theatrical dress) and invites readers to submit captions for $100—a substantial prize in the early 20th century. The contest rules are clearly outlined, with deadline March 23rd. **"A Disputed Statement":** This is satirical commentary on New York City. Life defends the city against a Western editor's criticism that it's "half-baked." The satire's point: New York isn't *underdeveloped*—it's *overdone*. Life mocks the city's obsessive money-making and spending, suggesting New York's endless financial excess and ambition to dominate the nation's economy is self-destructive. The humor lies in the backhanded defense: agreeing the city has problems, just different ones than claimed. The piece reflects early 20th-century East Coast/West Coast cultural tensions and satirizes urban excess through financial critique.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
@ For the Best Title to This Picture, Life Will Give One Hundred Dollars 475 Conditions of the Contest The title, with sub-title, or in whatever form submitted, must not exceed fifteen words. Manuscripts should be ad- dressed to The Contest Editor of Lire, 17 West 31st St., New York. Envelopes addressed in any other way will not be considered. All titles submitted must be at Lire office not later than Saturday, March 23rd. The contest will close at noon of that date. Within one week from March 23rd a check for $100 will be sent to the winner. It is not necessary to be a sub- scriber to Lire in order to compete. The contest is open to every one. Only one title from each con- testant will be considered. No manuscript will be returned. The editors of Lire will be the judges. They will award the prize to the title which, in their judg- ment, is the most deserving. Announcement of the winner will be made in Lire’s issue of April 4th—the Easter Number. A Disputed Statement E are sorry to disagree with a Western editor who has been good enough to say that New York is half-baked. If New York were half- baked it would be lucky, Then it would still have something to live for. New York is not half-baked; it is overdone. Not only is it overdone— that would not be so bad—but it keeps on overdoing—that may prove its un- doing. New York overdoes money- getting and money-spending. It is not satisfied to accumulate and dissipate its own share merely; it wants to be the financial stomach of the entire country.