Life, 1913-05-29 · page 17 of 44
Life — May 29, 1913 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains racist satire mocking Japanese immigrants and Japanese-American identity claims in early 20th-century America. **Top cartoon**: Six figures in suits wearing hats—likely representing Japanese immigrants or Japanese-Americans—are captioned "To Cousin John: Why Not Try Trousers Instead of Forcible Feeding?" The reference to "forcible feeding" alludes to British force-feeding of suffragettes, sarcastically suggesting Japanese adoption of Western clothing is similarly forced assimilation. **Main text**: A fake letter from "Hashimura Togo" (a stereotyped Japanese character) mockingly claims Japanese ancestry from Irish emperors and Scottish cereal-eaters to justify citizenship rights. The satire ridicules both Japanese claims to American belonging and anti-Japanese prejudice simultaneously—presenting supposedly "Christian" Japanese immigrants as morally questionable (jail time, divorces). **Bottom cartoon**: "The Herr (Doctor) and the Tortoise (Serum)" depicts a doctor figure chasing a tortoise—likely a visual pun on slow medical treatment or bureaucratic processes, unclear without additional context. The page exemplifies early-1900s xenophobic humor targeting Japanese assimilation debates.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TO COUSIN JOHN WHY NOT TRY TROUSERS INSTEAD OF FORCIBLE FEEDING? do. How can we bleach our yellow parent; ifficient to prove that our ancestors was named Perki Yet Vis- count Chinda, Rev. Japanese Embassy, he got too deep intellectuality to be confused by slight complex like that. He say, “If European parents is required for Japanese, I fetch some.” So he go back to History where everything can be proved by some useful scandal. He finds several books filled with difficult Japanese writing to show some excite- ment to resemble Hon. Hearst. He find how first Emperor of Japan wore red hair and were named Ohara; therefore we are of Irish extract. He found how heroes of ancient Japan lived on Y%e daily eating cereals; therefore we are of Scotch extract. Several other respectable nationalities can be proved in simultaneous way. We can prove we are French by our geishas. Therefore we are Aryan and got similar right to set in U. S. Senate like Senator Guggenheim. If we are not white like Swedes, maybe it are because we have seldom been siffi- ciently scared. Frequent Californians oftenly uprise and say, “ Japanese are too indigestible to ever become like Christians.” How hairless thought! Japanese of my acquainted knowledge are becoming more Christian day-by-night. S. Furo, Japanese grocer, have just named 2 of his twins Taft & Roosevelt. Mother doing well. J. Wanda, Japanese barber, spend frequent Sundays in jail where whiskey- strength took him amidst other Christians. S. Wanda, Japanese missionary boy, have obtained 3 divorces and knows where he can get another. Many of my friends can swear in National League langyage. Do not all this seem natural enough to make us naturalized? I ask to know. Yours truly, . Hasuiavra Tooo. HAT Christian trait is most developed in New Yorkers? Is it courage?” asked the Man-Afraid- to-Cross-the-Street. “ No—submission,” replied the Strap-Hanger. THE HERR (DOCTOR) AND THE TorTOISE (SERUM) comicbooks.com