Life, 1913-03-20 · page 18 of 44
Life — March 20, 1913 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Cartoon ("Why Any at All?"):** Adam and Eve comment on clothing's ugliness and discomfort. This is satirical commentary on fashion conventions—mocking that people accept uncomfortable, ugly dress codes simply from tradition. **"Advice to Parents":** Heavy-handed satire attacking Alabama's child labor practices and inadequate education system. Life mocks Alabama's policy of putting children to work early while deliberately keeping educational facilities minimal, presenting this backwards approach as if it were progressive reform. **Wilson Section:** Critiques President Woodrow Wilson's lack of tact, despite acknowledging his courage and ability. References Mrs. Marshall (likely Vice President's wife) calling him "severe," comparing him unfavorably to Washington's diplomatic skill with French allies. Questions whether Wilson can effectively manage Congress. **"Publicity for Newspapers":** Advocates for newspaper transparency—that papers should disclose ownership and operations like the Standard Oil and "Bath-Tub Trust" exposés. Satirizes current newspaper secrecy as unaccountable. **Bottom Cartoon:** Cubist artist explains distorted perspective, satirizing modernist art's incomprehensibility to ordinary viewers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WHY ANY AT ALL? Adam: HOW UGLY THEY LOOK. Eve: AND SO AWFULLY UNCOMFORTABLE. Advice to Parents ARENTS who desire to do the best possible thing for their children should remove immediately to Alabama. Children are Alabama's specialty. She has studied the problem from every point of view and, throwing effete con- ventionality to the winds, has decided that the best thing for children is to put them out at day labor as early as pos- sible. No child will ever amount to anything unless it learns at an early age all the esoteric and intricate mysteries of the dinner-pail, although we understand that among the more aristocratic circles of Alabama's child laborers dinner- pails are no longer worn, it being considered much better form to wrap up the modest noonday lunch (if any) in a piece of old newspaper. Thus do the shackles of fashion penetrate the utmost ends of the earth. In order, furthermore, that Alabama children shall have no temptation to shirk their responsibilities, the State has adopted the very simple plan of keeping all alluring edu- cational facilities down to the minimum. Alabama’s ex- periment is worth watching and, if it continues to be successful, should be generally adopted, as the spread of literacy in this country is appalling. P) Es it be possible that Woodrow Wilson lacks the supreme quality in a statesman, viz.: tact? We know that he has courage; we know that he has ability; we know that he is broadminded. Tact is such a little thing at times, and yet without it how difficult to succeed, especially with a Chevy Chase Club and a Congress on your hands at the same time. Mrs. Marshall is quoted as saying that President Wilson LTE E+ is “severe.” Napoleon was severe and he did some abom- inable things, but he inspired others at critical moments. We recommend to President Wilson’s attention the incident in the life of George Washington, just before the surrender at Yorktown, when his attitude towards the French Admiral was sufficient to secure the success of the American Army. If Washington had treated the French Admiral as that gentleman doubtless deserved, Governor Wilson might not now be occupying the Presidential chair. It is fatal to have tact without courage and ability, or not to have tact with courage and ability. Publicity for Newspapers HY not make our tewspapers public? advancing this iconoclastic idea, we are fully aware that it violates all precedent and that there are many diffi- culties attendant upon it. We believe, nevertheless, that it is in line with the spirit of the best reform. At present the newspapers are not public. An effort was recently made upon the part of the Government to disclose to the world the information about their secret workings; who owned them; who, indeed, was responsible for their publication. But this is not what we mean. We mean essentially that the newspaper should be exposed in just the same way that the Standard Oil has been exposed or that the Bath-Tub Trust has been exposed, and as Ananias was exposed. At present there is no publicity at all about the news- papers. It is quite true that occasionally one paper screams In timidly Cubist Artist: AM, IF YOU COULD ONLY SEE THINGS AS 1 dO, MY DEAR! comicbooks.com