Life, 1913-09-11 · page 12 of 44
Life — September 11, 1913 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces on early 20th-century American society: **"The Bread Line"** mocks upper-class concerns, showing wealthy people observing a bread line (unemployed/poor seeking free food) as entertainment—captioning it as fathers and husbands "coming up from town to pay the bills." **"For Adults Only"** criticizes Alabama's child labor laws as inadequate, sarcastically suggesting children should read *Life* magazine and noting that removing child workers would be criminalized under state law (1927). The piece argues the laws protect exploitative labor practices. **Remaining sketches** depict working-class domestic scenes, including a father threatening to whip his son for fishing on Sunday, and Mrs. Murphy receiving a charity collector—illustrating poverty and moral discipline in poorer households. The overall tone critiques class disparities and inadequate labor protections.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE BREAD LINE Count: ou, 1 SAY, WHAT'S THE BALLY crowD? American Girl: MERELY OUR FATHERS OR HUSBANDS COMING UP FROM TOWN TO PAY THE BILLS, For Adults Only We sincerely trust that no child laborer in Alabama will have money enough to buy Lire, nor the time and education to read it. If, perchance, a little child should read Lire, and if, perchance, it should notice our occasional animadversions upon the subject of child labor in that mellifluously and alliteratively cognomened State, and if, perchance, the child should thereupon decide to leave his or her job and lead there- after a life of aristocratic ease, then and in that case, as the lawyers would say, Lire would be a criminal. According to the criminal code of Ala- bama (1907), anyone who “ knowingly in- terferes with, hires, entices away, or in- duces any minor to leave the service of anyone to whom such service is lawfully due,” is liable to a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars. Lire should not so much object to paying the fine, but we should hate to have our picture in the rogues’ gallery through a conflict with such a benign law. If it is a good thing for a State to be supported by little children, it is quite fitting that those children be shackled to their jobs in every possible way. Stick to your colors, lads and lassies. Don’t throw up your jobs on our account. a ABW “THEY'RE six fine sons you have, Casey,” said Dennis Flaherty to his friend. “They are,” said Casey. “Do ye have any trouble with them?” “Trouble?” said Casey. “I've never had to raise my hand to one of them—except in self-defence.” JOSSIBLY some eminent statesmen bless the man who put the talk in Chautauqua. t Vicious N° long ago the papers reported the case of a doctor in Marietta, Ohio, who, after performing many difficult operations, went mad and tried to vivisect a patient who was under his control. This doctor only carried to its logical conclusion a well-defined law. When you get into the habit of cutting people up you “first endure, then pity, then embrace.” It requires an immense control on the part of any surgeon to operate only when necessary. Cutting people up is an acquired taste. The danger of its obsession, however, is not widely advertised by the medical profession. said the young how long can we keep him alive.” “And sick,” added the elder M. D., correctively, NY, YOU'VE BEEN FISHING ON SUNDAY AGAIN. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A WHIPPING JUST AS SOON AS I'VE PUT THOSE FISH IN THE ICEBOX.” RS. MURPHY was getting the supper for the chil- dren on Saturday night when a young woman came to her door. “I'm a collector for the Drunkards’ Home,” “Could you help us?” “Come around to-night and I'll give you Murphy,” said the housewife as she went about her work. she said. comicbooks.com