Life, 1913-01-30 · page 23 of 36
Life — January 30, 1913 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Main Cartoon - "A True Believer":** This depicts Attorney-General James C. Wickersham in a conversation with "Life" (the magazine personified). The satire mocks Wickersham's anti-trust efforts during the Progressive era. Despite claiming sixty days of investigation and boasting of trust-busting accomplishments, Wickersham admits they "can't find a single trust"—suggesting his much-publicized legal crusade was ineffective theater. The cartoon ridicules how he credits "the law" for satisfaction while ordinary people remain powerless, bound by statutes they didn't consent to. The joke is that he prioritized legal formalism over actual relief for the people he claimed to help. **Smaller items:** Brief satirical quips about relationships and personal crises round out the page, typical of Life's humorous miscellany. The page reflects Progressive-era skepticism toward trust-busting claims and government bureaucratic posturing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
247 Love and the Sea OVE one day, in childish anger, Tired of his divinity, Sick of rapture, sick of languor, Threw his arrows in the sea. Since then Ocean, like a woman, Variable of nature seems: Smiling, cruel, kind, inhuman, Gloomed with grief and drowned in dreams. Madison Cawein On Life’s Wire “H'’ LO, Lire.” “Hello. Who is it, please?” “This is Attorney-General Wicker- sham speaking.” “Hello, Mr. Wickersham. W the news?” “Nothing special, Lire, but before I go out of office I want to find out if you appreciate what I have done to relieve the country of the domination of the trusts.” “Indeed we do. We have made our own investigation. For the last sixty days our scouts have raked the country with fine tooth combs, but we can’t find a single trust.” “ Hated to do it, Lire, but I love the people dearly, and I just couldn't stand it to see them imposed upon.” Of course, you couldn't. And speak- ing of the people, do you think they will ever get any benefit from your relentless activities?” “It's hard to tell, but I’m hopii Of course, so far as I am concerned, I could only follow the law. The law must be satisfied first of all. The law is now satisfied and the people are at liberty to do as they please, subject to the advice and consent of the statutes.” “Many thanks. It is heavenly to be able once more to do as we please.” “T thought you'd enjoy it. So long, Li ood luck, Mr. Wickersham.” The Crisis RANDALL: When did he first amount to anything? Rocers: When he first realized that he didn’t amount to anything. AK TECE SELES MAN and his wife are one, but that doesn’t always prove there is luck in odd numbers. comicbooks.com