Life, 1913-07-31 · page 12 of 36
Life — July 31, 1913 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a satirical article titled "Letters of a Self-made Son to His Mother," mocking anti-suffrage arguments. The son criticizes his mother's opposition to women's voting rights, calling her campaign tactics hypocritical and emotionally manipulative. The illustration shows a figure standing on wreckage, saying "HELLO, EVERYBODY!" — likely depicting someone surveying destruction, possibly referencing political or social upheaval. The text sarcastically attacks women opposing suffrage, accusing them of using "feminine witchery" and emotional manipulation ("the sable challenge of laughing lips") rather than logical argument. It references the "Votes-for-Women controversy" and "Fighting Style," suggesting this addresses early 20th-century suffrage debates. A brief dialogue at bottom between Mrs. Simson and Bobbie about a father figure provides comedic domestic counterpoint to the political satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“HELLO, EVERYBopy!” Letters of a Self-made Son to His Mother “] READ in the papers of your neat attempt to drown the Archbishop of Canterbury. That's ripping stuff, mother. And how you sprinkled tacks in the King’s porridge. Great! 1 read it aloud to the rest of the sophomore class after dinner. “But mother! I have been thinking hard. Don’t mind if I speak a few trifles about your beloved campaign —from a Man's point of view. I just can’t keep them to myself. “Don't you think that Women as a sex have fallen down hard for the first time in history on a monstrous tactical blunder? Collectively and in- dividually, have you failed to wheedle the race of men (collectively and in- dividually) into any requisition you cared to suggest? “Mother, you discarded the tried weapons of feminine witchery and dared Man with the indelicate pitch- fork and cleaver. How uncomfortable of you! How utterly blind to man’s in- variable acquiescence in all Causes piloted by a kid glove and breezed along by flapping eyelashes! “Mother! We men never from the first consciously fought against the vote. We didn’t kick a particle about sharing our franchise. What we did hate to see was the change in your Fighting Style—the alarming revolu- tion in your ‘manner of approach.’ “Mother, we wanted cajolery and craft and cunning—just the same as on Tag Day. We pleaded for the swish of a taffeta skirt and you gave us in- stead the soft sigh of a passing brick. We yearned for the subtle challenge of laughing lips; you answered us with the scorching stare of angry amazons. “Mother, you made your first grand error in running Votes-for-Women as a controversy. It never was. It isn’t now. I don’t know a Man in my set who understands yet what the arguments are against woman's suf- frage. But you people labelled it ‘A Battle’ and we're just filling in the mob cues. Honestly, mother, that’s the whole caper. We men are of one mind in our ignorance, and that mind used to be in your favor until your orators said it wasn’t. “That is why I say your tactics have been about as subtle and intel- ligent as an elephant’s instep. No offence, mother, but you'll wake up some day to know that the Suffrage was waiting for you at the Post Office all the time, only you called at the wrong wicket.” RS. SIMSON: Now, Bobbie, I'm going out and I want you to look after the house like a little man—just as your father would if he were here. Bossier: Have I got to kiss the nurse? comicbooks.com