Life, 1913-05-15 · page 30 of 52
Life — May 15, 1913 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page satirizes New York City institutions and social customs through mock dictionary entries—a format mocking the earnest travel guides (Baedekers) popular at the time. The main cartoon depicts a woman labeled "Equal Rights" jumping over barriers labeled "Courtesy" and "Chivalry" while men below try to stop her. The caption asks sarcastically: "ARE EQUAL RIGHTS REALLY DESIRABLE?" This reflects early 1900s anti-suffrage sentiment—mocking women's rights advocates by suggesting that equality would mean women abandoning traditional feminine privileges like male deference. The dictionary entries below mock wealthy New Yorkers (Central Park as a private auto-racing course), immigrants ("Nouveaux Riches"), and working-class areas (Brooklyn). References to "Night Riders" and police corruption suggest contemporary urban vice. The overall tone is cynical upper-class satire of both social climbers and reform movements, typical of Life magazine's demographic.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A (Near) Baedeker for Greater New York (Including Brooklyn) Parx.—A public institution used as a private race course for those possessing autos, thorough- breds, ete. Pedestrians are allowed to enter at their own risk. Bounded on the north by the New Jerusalem, on the west by the Nouveaux Riches, on the cast. by Newspaper Society Columns, and on the south by the Neurotic Kadenza Hot Canarzts—(a2) Home for the mentally feeble. (b) A“nox"ious form of amusement. (See Latin Diet (c) Up-to-date m shop, offering “ chickens,” turkey trotters, ¢l reelers, bunny huggers, grizzly bear- Centrat TAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS ARE EQUAL RIGHTS REALLY DESIRADLE? crs or barers Bounded by until Mayor One o'Clock Order. Hatt.—(a) A relic of ancient ar- chitecture, Grecian presumably, after Epictetus. (b) Town house of a far famed Long Island patroon. Kindly _ located close to the post-office for the great- cr convenience of the above men- tioned “ Man of Letters.” Bound to make trouble for every Chief Occupa Brooxtyx Bripor.— terday.”” City The Road to Yes- The best thing in Brooklyn—offers one a chance to get version, old gag.) Horets.—Enlarged typeof cleaner for “ Filthy” lucre. Tistes SovaKe.—(a) Famous rendez-vous of “ Night Riders.” (b) Center of population of the U. S. Tomus.—Municipal hotel—of late chiefly used as a temporary home for “ tired” policemen, At times face tiously spoken of as “ Police Head- quarters.” Fiatixoy BUtLpinc.—Municipal open air ladies’ shop. At May—offcring a particularly pleas- 1g line of _ petticoats, hosiery, ete. Also, a Woman's intent on the roundings.” Vavpevitte = axp Movixe — Prert Hov Permanent address of t ‘ew Yorker. losure or “ Stock-” “Bulls,” “ Bears,” “Lambs,” ete, where the “lo “short,” and “green” horn are often “steered” from their “long green” and “broke” from “ buck ing” the market. tailor present— lingerie, firage Institution plift of women's average Wau yard JPLXx comicbooks.com