Life, 1913-08-07 · page 15 of 40
Life — August 7, 1913 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces typical of early 20th-century American humor: **"A Fine Chance"** mocks both government fiscal policy and class mobility. The dialogue jokes that a failed son fit only for Wall Street—then synonymous with financial speculation and moral corruption—represents parental desperation. The article sardonically suggests citizens should buy discounted government bonds as a patriotic investment while the government profits. **"The Bluebottle Fly"** lampoons competing scientific institutions (Rockefeller Institute vs. Berkeley) that reached opposite conclusions about whether the fly transmits infantile paralysis. The satire suggests that endless animal experimentation—a contemporary controversy—becomes an end in itself, allowing scientists to claim credit regardless of actual results. **"Questions"** uses logically reductive argument to mock both automobile safety regulation and women's suffrage (recently won). If young men lack judgment to vote, the piece argues, they certainly lack judgment to drive—extending this absurdly to newly enfranchised women, whose voting rights the author treats skeptically. The cartoon shows women's suffrage "results": a woman proposing marriage—implying women with political power become inappropriately forward.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“oH, coopy! Now MAYBE THEY'LL Propose!” A Fine Chance OVERNMENT bonds have been quoted below par recently, and many of our good friends have been caused much uneasiness thereby. They should compose themselves. It is a proper cause for joy rather than grief. The full value of these bonds will have to be paid by the people when they are duc, and the interest in the meantime. If the bankers want to make it to our interest to buy them up before they are duc, good cnough. We have plenty of idle money which we have been kind enough to deposit in the banks. Let's take this money and buy up the bonds. Thus we can get out of debt and make a little extra money for ourselves at the same time. It looks like a fine chance for the government to do a little finan- ciering on its own hook. “ Sorry, old man, to hear that your boy hasn't done well.” “Yes, it’s a terrible disappointment to me, He's failed in everything—hopeless.” “What do you intend doing with him?” “Oh, I suppose I'll have to start him in Wall Street.” THE ANSWER TO THIS REBUS WILL BE PUBLISHED IN NEXT WEER'S LIFE “Politics is a bad career for a poor man.” Answer to last week's rcbus: e The Bluebottle Fly The Rockefeller Institute, after an elaborate series of ex- periments with living anim: Says that the bluebottle stable fly is responsible for infantile paralysis. The California State University laboratory at Berkeley, after a similar series of experiments with living animals, says the bluebottle stable fiy has nothing to do with the case. Now, with every desire in the world to be “scientific,” we want t> know with what feclings we are to regard the bluebottle fly. Is he a criminal, or is he the victim of unjust aspersion? Should he be swatted ?—Argonaut. OT so hasty, neighbor. A matter of such moment can not be decicted so summarily. The thing to do is for all the faithful to set to at once experimenting with living animals until the bluebotile fly question is exhaus- tively considered from every possible angle. When the authorities have all disagreed on all possible phases of the matter, then point with pride to the affair as one of the greatest achievements of viviscction. ONE OF THE FIRST RESULTS OF WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE Questions T what age should human beings be permitted to run automobiles along public thoroughfares? What proportion of the accidents which happen are due to youthful chauffeurs? Legally a young man is a minor up to the age of twenty-one. If he is not deemed by the State to have judgment enough before that age to decide about who shall govern him, why should he be permitted to run an automobile? And is not the same thing true—only more so—of women as of men? EVERY railroad is straight on its own map. comicbooks.com