Life — May 2, 1912 — page 33: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

**Top Cartoon - "Grief":** Shows mourners at a grave marker for "Amassa Wadd," a wealthy moneylender. The satire mocks the funeral of a despised figure—suggesting that even his death brings no genuine sorrow, only formal appearance. The elaborate dress and umbrellas contrast with the evident lack of authentic grief. **"Time-Honored" Editorial Section:** Critiques President Taft's objection to Democrats abandoning a two-battleships-per-year naval expansion practice. Life's editors sarcastically question why this practice deserves respect merely because it's old, pointing out that age doesn't automatically confer honor (noting "time-honored slums" and "time-honored trusts" as absurd examples). This attacks both Taft and the notion of tradition-based arguments in policy. **Bottom Comic:** A domestic humor joke: a couple celebrates finding a perfect cook after six weeks of searching—typical early-20th-century servant-shortage humor reflecting middle-class anxieties about household help. The page reflects Progressive Era skepticism toward both established wealth and traditional arguments for maintaining status quo policies.