Life, 1912-06-13 · page 30 of 44
Life — June 13, 1912 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains reader letters debating Life's editorial stance on religion and social issues, plus one cartoon. **The Letters:** Readers critique Life for claiming ignorance while commenting on serious topics like medicine and bacteriology. More significantly, two lengthy letters defend Catholicism and Judaism against what writers perceive as Life's hostile coverage. One defends Catholics' fitness for public office (referencing a Supreme Court appointment controversy), countering the American Protective Association's anti-Catholic sentiment. Another defends Jews against what the writer calls hypocritical "Yankee" attacks. **The Cartoon:** Shows a jailer telling an embezzler facing sentencing: "Good mornin', sir. It's a fine day ye hav to be sentenced." It's a dark humor joke about making light of criminal consequences—the jailer treats a serious moment as pleasant small talk. **Context:** The page reflects 1912 religious and ethnic tensions in America, with immigrant Catholic and Jewish communities defending themselves against nativist prejudice and stereotyping in the press.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
We Are Constantly in Receipt of Important Letters Which Are Too Long for Our Limited Space. Where Ignorance is Bliss Dear Lire: . Your number for January 11 is splen- did! Could anything be more true than what you say on page 118? “ Lire is not a newspaper, inasmuch as our principal field is to display our ignorance of cur- rent affairs.” Of course, the reader is surprised, but let him turn over to the cartoon on pages 128 and 129, ridiculing everything in the medical profession, and he sees at a glance that you have clearly proved your contention. And what a well-deserved rebuke you give to Mr. Edison on page 120. You truly say, Lire, that “ Hasty snatches of inexpert opinion on deep subjects are apt to be not very valuable. Can it be that you, expert in Art and Literature, are no more competent to pass judgment on the modern science of bacteriology than Mr. Edison is to give “great-man deliverances on racial, po- litical, economic and educational sub- jects"? Truly yours, Harxison W, Kucnine, Sarawak, Februray 17, 1912. Not Hostile Eprror or Lire: ‘ Dear Six: It is with great surprise that I have read your late numbers and noticed therein your scemingly hostile attitude to the Church of Rome. In your issue of May 2 you publish a letter from Lincoln, Il. dated April 1, and signed “J. 1." The above gentle- man’s statement in regard to the appoint- ment to the head of the Supreme Court of Justice White appears most ridiculous to any broad-minded man who has read his article. “J. L." has evidently been reading some of the recent American Protective Association literature and has taken their stand, that a Catholic is un- fitted for public office in this country, on the ground that he swears allegiance to the Pope. This is true in so far as spir- itual matters are concerned, as the Pope gave up all claims to temporal govern- ment some three or four centuries ago, Sire, Brevity is Absolutely Essential to Publication during the reformation. I would also Leg to inform the gentleman that it is an express command of the Church that all Catholics respect and obey their lawful temporal superiors. Again I disagree with him when he writes that “the bold utterances of emi- nent Catholic divines indicate a growing militant sentiment, which will sooner -or later develop into trouble for some onc.” The only inference I can draw from this statement is that the Roman Church is a menace to peace and the public welfare and ‘that its survival will lead to civil war. This may be putting it rather crudely, but I feel that it is to the point. If “J. L." can prove to me that it is the im of the Roman Church to usurp the civil power in this or any other country, I will most humbly apologize and admit that I do not know what I am talking about. From the name of your publication one would infer that it was issued on behalf of the people, but if sixteen million Catholic citizens are not considered as Jailer (to embezzler): coop MoRNI belonging to the people, then you have gone astray in your mission. Would it not be better for you to act with charity toward all and with malice toward none? I would like to have the opinions of non- Catholic readers on this subject. Yours very truly, Harry C, Rean. Cuevenne, Wyo. May 8, 1912. In Defense of the Jews Eptrors Lire: Gentiemen: Kindly allow a humble workingman space for a few remarks. The attacks of Yankees on the Jews seems laughable to me. A case of resi- dents of glass houscs recklessly throwing stones. Twenty years of exploitation by capitalists of various races and religions has proved to me that the Jew is not half as bad as he is painted, comparing, as he does, very favorably with our shrewd Yankee business man. Jews have usually shown a little humanity at least, Lut, after all, they are all out for profit, and your genuine “ Yankee” takes his any old way. Is he not at all times willing to sell “ blow-hole” armor plate and rotten foodstuffs to his government, Proving that his patriotism is that of the almighty dollar? (Concluded on page 1233) ') SOR. IT'S A FOINE DAY YE HAV TO BE SENTENCED, comicbooks.com