Life, 1912-10-10 · page 18 of 48
Life — October 10, 1912 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces mocking American political and social life: **"When the Polling Booths Are Open"** imagines domestic chaos when parents abandon home to campaign during elections—children destroy the house while unsupervised, depicting the "Baby's keeping house" as complete disaster. The satire critiques politicians' prioritization of campaigning over family responsibility. **The Uncle Sam/jelly-fish joke** appears to be a simple non-sequitur gag about production costs. **"Reckless Regulation"** sarcastically defends wealthy American heiresses marrying foreign nobility, mocking both the heiresses' aspirations and Congressional concern about such unions. The piece ridicules the Senate as more "appropriate" for such "classy work" than the House—a jab at aristocratic pretension among the wealthy. **The final cartoon** presents a natural history observation about female animals being more dangerous than males, likely commenting satirically on female political or social power. Overall, the page targets electioneering distraction, class pretension, and gender dynamics in 1950s America.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LIFE: “When the Polling Booths Are Open” (A Vision of the Future) WO dolls lic on the carpet; there’s a rattle on the floor. The butcher and the baker they are banging on the door. There's jam all o'er the pantry; there's a freight-car on the g's off the table, and is dripping everywhere ; For Dad's electioncering, d parading is his spouse When the polling-booths are open, and the Baby's keeping house! The drum is gaily sounding, and the trumpet loudly trills, ‘The water in the bath-tub rises up until it spills. The noise as of a hammer on the grand-piano sounds, And merry laughter echoes through the mansion and the ' grounds; For Dad's clectioncering, and parading is his spouse When the polling-booths are open, and the Baby's keeping house! There's pie for everybody and a welcome for the tramp. The parlor wears the aspect of a military camp. There's ink upon the cushions, and there's chickens in the hall; The hose is gaily squirting at the pictures on the wall; For Dad's clectioneer ind pa ing is his spouse When the polling-booths are open, and the Baby’s keeping ‘ house! JK. B, Uncle Sam: WHAT 15 THE DIFFERENCE, WiLLiaM, RIGGS: How about that noiseless typewriter you ; > BETWEEN A JELLY-FISH AND A MAN? mentioned? — “Ip’'s THE DIFFERENCE IN THE COST OF PRODUCTIONS “That's the noise you just spoke of in the next room.” HERE AND ABROAD, I THI | - Reckless Regulation HALL the price of foreign noblemen be regulated by Congress? This, we understand, is to be one of the chief issues of the campaign, but it is difficult to see why the matter should be brought up at this time. The title- market has already suffered from the attacks of the rabid and radical mob. Our heiresses must be amused as well as protected. We cannot expect high-spirited young ladics to be satisfied forever with Teddy bears, toy dogs and callow Americans. They must be allowed to expand, to reach out. They have as much right to be a world power as any of us, The best plan would be to have no legisla- tive interference. If, however, there is to be any regula- tion at all, let it be done by its friends. Let the work be confined to the Senate, which is familiar with heiresses. The Lower House is altogether too plebcian for such classy work. Let it keep hands off. Derelict R PORTER: In case you should not be re-elected, will you feel that you made the most of your opportuni- ties while you were President? Presivent: No. I can think of one or two more trips “THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES IS MORE 'ARMFUL THAN which I might easily have taicen. THE MALE.” comicbooks.com