Life, 1913-09-25 · page 33 of 43
Life — September 25, 1913 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines serious social commentary with period advertising. The **left column** presents a reform-focused article on child labor, cataloging the documented harms of street work on children: physical deterioration (fatigue, disease, irregular sleep), moral decay (truancy, criminal tendencies), and material decline (inability to learn trades). The article, citing E.N. Clopper's work, argues systematically that street employment damages children across all dimensions of development. The **right side** features automobile advertisements—a Haynes car and its "Vulcan Electric Gear Shift"—alongside a brief satirical column called "The Cerebrette," mocking intellectual women ("cerebrettes") who affect cerebral superiority. The juxtaposition is striking: serious documentation of child exploitation appears alongside commercial appeals and light mockery of women's intellectual pretensions. This reflects Life's identity as a satirical magazine mixing reform advocacy with humor aimed at educated, affluent readers—the very audience buying automobiles and reading about "cerebrettes."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Our Children Street Workers LL the evil effects of street work upon children observed by students of the problem have been here divided into three groups, under the headings of physical, moral and materia? deteriora- tion. It must be understood that this is a summary of such effects and that while the influences of the street are unques- tionably bad, any one child exposed to them is not likely to suffer to the full extent suggested below. However, de- terioration in one form or another is invariably noted in children who have been engaged in street work for any length of time, and this is sufficient proof of the undesirability of such employment for our boys and girls. Errects or Staert Work on Cuitoren. Marentat, Deterioration: Form distaste for regular employment. Small chance of acquiring a trade, Drift into large class of casual workers, Puysicat. Derratoration: Night work. Excessive fatigue. Exposure to bad weather. Trregularity of steep and meals, Use of stimulants—cigarettes, coffee, liquor. Disease through contact with’ vices. Morat. Detertoration: Encouragement to truancy. Independence and defiance of parental con: trol. Weakness cultivated by formation of bad habits. Form liking for petty excitements of street Opportunities to become delinquent. Large percentage of recruits to criminal population, —From “Child Labor in the City Streets,” by E. N. Clopper (Muc- millan). Try One of Our Dry Varieties Martini—Dry (medium) Martini—Brut dr Maskatan Rees attan—Dry At all dealers Years ago, pioneer models of the Haynes— America’s first car—we star attractions at county fairs a drew huge crowds, BSS America’s First Car wy touring car atscripuon below. After 20 years of leadership, the Haynes is still the most interesting car in America. In addition to 20 years of proving and perfecting, and a most up-to-date equipment of comforts and convenience, every new Haynes model has the greatest automobile feature of today— The Vulcan Electric Gear Shift Automobile makers have long been looking for something better than the hard, noisy gear- shifting with the hand lever. Even women and children can drive the Haynes with enjoyment and safety. Simply press a button and electricity shifts the gears. Electric: engine, operates the horn and furnishes the lig! y also starts the ig Other features are mechanical tire pump, pressure gasoline feed, Collins quick adjusting curtains. The New Models in Brief Model 27, illustrated, 6<yl. 65 H. P. 136-in. wheel- base, 6 oF 7-pass. $ab7s,limousine $3550, Model 28, acyl. 48 H. P. 118-in, wheelbase, 2-pass, roadster, 4 or §-pass. tour. $1985, coupe $2700. Model 26, 6cyl. 65 H. P. ro-in. wheelbase, 2-pass. roadster, 4 OF §-pass. tour. $2700, coupe $3200. Above herse powers are hy the draamometer trot “Maud lever optional at #200 reduction Write for Great Auto Book —'The Complete Motorist,” by El- wood Haynes, the father of the automo- bile, It'll make you understand the auto better, care for yours better and get bet- ter service for less expense. Write today. If you don't know your nearest Haynes dealer, ask for his address, The Haynes Automobile Co., 43 Main St., Kokomo, Ind. The Cerebrette WE have novelettes and suffra- gettes, and husbandettes; why not cerebrettes? What is a cerebrette? One who travels on her cerebral shape. She is in a distinct class by herself. A woman highbrow, for example, is unemotional. Coldness is part of her pose. But a cerebrette in addition, makes a noise like a brain. She works, so to speak, with a cut out. At first she tries the cut out only on mild hills, but after a while she gets used to the noise, and likes it because it makes everybody aware of her, and uses it on all levels. When the cerebrette is not travel: ing in Europe, she is reading all the latest books and discoursing on Esot- eric Buddhism, Auric Envelopes and the higher pragmatism. All. cerebrettes are self They are seen on all roads. They like it up in the air best, however. arters, ave a universal wheelbase and Eacer Yours Man (tho has called on adored one): 1 can't wait any longer, dear. I really had to ‘phone. Will you marry me? Gextix Voice (in reply): Why, yes, of course, I will. But haven't you got the wrong number? —Cleveland Plain-Deater. Ir love gives wit to fools, it undoubt- edly takes it from wits. Alphonse Karr. comicbooks.com