Life, 1913-08-21 · page 10 of 40
Life — August 21, 1913 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a satirical letter from "Hon. Janitor" to "Hon. Boss" complaining about workplace chaos during what appears to be a labor crisis. The janitor sarcastically catalogs absurdities: employees conducting business on chairs (suggesting no desks available), missing staff members, and insurance/industrial disasters occurring while the boss demands office productivity. The accompanying illustration titled "PIER 14" depicts people resting or sleeping at a waterfront location, likely referencing homeless individuals or those displaced during an economic crisis—possibly the Great Depression or a period of labor unrest. The satire criticizes management's unrealistic expectations during genuine hardship, mocking the disconnect between executive demands and workers' actual circumstances. The tone suggests frustration with capitalist indifference to workers' welfare.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
302 Hon. Pride clope speedly to rear- wards of office where bookkeeping is done there. But not so! All he can see on chairs and stools is a vacuum with nobody setting on it. Silent still- ness everywheres, except cat and clock, which are going as. usual. “How curio!” holla Hon. Pride. “My employces has never went on strike before without letting me know!” He continued — onwards walking through offices. At lastly he reach very back room where he find Hon, Janitor poking shirts into his valise and brush- ing his silk-pipe hat. “Where is Napoleon, the Office Child?” corrugate Hon. Pride with breath. “So sorry! Major Pond led him to Portland where he will speak on Life of Tie Cobb and return Wednesday. “O!!" This from boss. “And where should Hon. Tessie Myrtle, bright-hair lady who stenogs, be at?” “ Her itinerary include Frog Harbor, Swampscott, Bellichub & East Wam- page where she will speak on Woman's Spear.” “But 1 need her hastily!" gubble him. “You can get her by telegraph care yeeum Bureau,” Hon. Janitor say so. “Where are Smith the bookkeep and Brown the casheer ?” “ Lecturing.” “Shucks alive!” he gubble, making mania with his hands. “This are big- gest week in fire insurance business, yet no one to do it. Gasolene tanks are exploding everywhere, pers, factories and garages out in blazes. Only this morning I ob- served one of our wealthiest Jewish customers walking down Broadw. with a package of excelsior. And yet there is nobody in my office to do this rush of business.” “So sorry to think,” depose Hon. Janitor. “Yet your clerks cannot af- ford to waste their entire time in your office for meeger salary you pay.” Saying thusly he disappear away leaving Hon. Boss in state of complete ellipse. Hoping you are the same Yours truly Hasuimura Toco. (Per Wallace Irwin.) A HOT NIGHT