Life, 1912-05-30 · page 12 of 44
Life — May 30, 1912 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines patriotic naval poetry with social satire. The top section celebrates American naval power during what appears to be the Spanish-American War era (references to "Thirteen Stars" and "John Paul Jones"), praising warships and sailors who maintain national honor. The lower half satirizes Methodist Episcopal Church restrictions on amusement. The cartoon shows a skeletal Death figure dancing with a fashionable woman, illustrating the satirical point: the church's severe moral rules (no turkey trot dancing after 1 o'clock, no bridge on Sundays, stock speculation restrictions) are portrayed as absurdly restrictive—almost deathly. The "Installment Man's Version" mocks the hypocrisy of buying on credit while preaching restraint. The satire targets religious institutions' attempts to control leisure and consumer behavior.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
"LIFE: Ships and Men HEN first above the battle smoke Arose the Thirteen Stars, Our ships were built of native oak, With pitch-pine masts and spars. And now they are sheathed in the cold, blue steel That’s wrought where the forges flame And cleave the wave with iron keel— But the Men are still the same. The lads that keep the Flag Aloft through all the zones Are staunch and good as they that stood To their guns for John Paul Jones. Our frigates slanted canvas wings Of proper Yankee make When young Decatur flouted kings And Perry ruled the lake. Though now the cruiser’s engine roars And sails no longer fill, The deeds of the doughty Commodores Inspire the Captains still. The Captains, one and all, Can fight like him that hailed The foeman’s wreck from the quarter-deck When the “ Constitution” sailed. The warships put to sea again, Their armor painted new, Their gun-decks thronged with clean, young men, Whose shots fly straight and true And like those frigates, battle-scarred, That braved the Lion’s might, They hold the Nation’s flag unmarred, The Nation’s honor bright. And Right alone shall rule, And Tyranny shall cease, Where grimly ride in iron pride The Ships that keep the peace. Arthur Guiterman. PENSIONERS VETERANS OF THE WAR OF 1961 Advice IX view of the recent action by the Methodist Episcopal Conference, in which radical changes were recom- mended in amusement restrictions, thereby allowing indi- viduals to be guided by their own consciences, we suggest the following rules: No deacon shall dance the turkey trot after one o'clock in the morning. - Ladies shall not play bridge before sundown on Sun- day. Members will not indulge in stock speculation unless they have at least 20 per cent. margin. Installment Man's Version TYPOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING BYY in haste and pay up at leisure. BOLD BLACK CAP (SPANISH) WITH SMALL CAP (ENGLISTT) comicbooks.com