Life, 1912-08-29 · page 21 of 42
Life — August 29, 1912 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1679 *Life* magazine page contains satirical poetry and commentary mocking American urbanization and political campaigns. **"Ballade of Babylon"** uses New York City as a corrupt temptress ("Babylon") luring rural Americans with promises of fame and fortune. The repeated refrain "Not everyone may see New York" ironically laments those trapped in agricultural labor. The poem warns farmers against trading honest work for city life's false glamour—New York's wealth is built on exploitation ("made of pork," suggesting meat-packing industry abuses). **The cartoon** depicts a ship labeled with industrial symbols, covered in "barnacles" (excessive regulations/inefficient practices). "Captain Bill" must scrape them off—likely satirizing government's failure to modernize or regulate growing industries during this period of rapid industrialization. **"Not the Proper Time"** sarcastically attacks politicians avoiding substantive policy debate during elections, instead focusing on ceremonial presidential duties. It mocks the notion that serious national problems should wait until after harvest season—skewering how campaigns prioritize personalities over principles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ballade of Babylon ROM wood and field the young race Rocs, A hasting, ever-growing line. They press across the hills of prose With promises of fame divine, To where the golden cities shine. Yet someone toils with spade and fork, And someone milks the patient kine; Not everyone may sce New York. Within its gates that never close Come simple hearts and callants fine; But there a soulless Circe glows. With promises of fame divine She changes gentle men to swinc. Ulysses bold would slay the or But first, sir knight, a cup of win Not everyone may sce New York. When winter on the farmstead snows And buries deep the sturdy pine, Then Babylon her hatred shows: With promises of fame divine She slays the godlings at her shrine. Ho, waiter! pop another cork! And who could starve when I can dine? Not everyone may sce New York. ENVot Prince of the plow! Trade not your wine With promises of fame divine. Babylon's soul is made of pork; Not everyone may see New York. Why Not? 'ORD comes from Boston that a hospital will be established there for the treatment of appendicitis only. This is a step in the right direction. We have felt for a long time that operations, generally speaking, were a little bit too mixed up. We are glad, therefore, that the principle of scien- tific management is being applied to them and that each kind of an opera- tion will have its own headquarters. It is only a question of supply and demand. The demand for operations of all kinds being as strong as it is to-day, we must, of course, supply it in a scientific manner. But we have also heard that ap- pendicitis patients are not so fond of operations as they were. D!REctIon is worth more than energy. 1679 TOO MANY INFANT INDUSTRIES “WHOEVER SAILS THAT SHIP AGAIN, CAPTAIN BILL, MUST SCRAPE OFF THOSE BARNACLES Not the Proper Time HERE has been a discreditable at- tempt on the part of certain lead- ing politicians, esmen, and jour- nals in this campaign to introduce is- sues and principles into the discussion. This is not the proper time for such * matters. We are gathered together on this festive oceasion and in this mighty political arena to discuss candidates. Relentless tradition sternly commands us to elect a President, a worthy and well-dressed man to preside over us, to make our speeches, to welcome for- eign potentates, to do our traveling, to scold us occasionally, to formulate our Thanksgiving Proclamations, to indite messages to which Congress pays no attention and to lay our cor- nerstones, We would be derelict if we tried to decide anything important in a Presi- dential year. There is plenty of time to save the country during the long winter evenings when the crops are harvested and the Christmas bills paid. comicbooks.com