Life, 1913-10-16 · page 12 of 44
Life — October 16, 1913 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page announces Life's decision to issue a pro-woman suffrage number, inviting contributions from suffrage supporters. The magazine positions itself as providing fair coverage by dedicating an issue to this cause. The main cartoon depicts a woman struggling to balance a large globe labeled "THE BALLOT" while men (likely railroad stockholders or businessmen) watch from below with the caption "WHICH WOULD THAT INTELLIGENT MARTIAN VISITOR PICK OUT FOR THE VOTES?" The accompanying article criticizes railroad engineers for prioritizing stockholder profits over public welfare. The cartoon's point appears to be that outsiders would find it absurd that women are denied voting rights while burdened with other responsibilities—contrasting what an "intelligent" observer would expect with actual American political practices.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
648 This Number HIS issue of Lire perpetrates, illustrates, defends and illuminates the cause of Woman Suffrage. It has seemed to Lire that it was only fair that this sid: should be given. And so, some time ago, we madc the an- nouncement that we would issue a Pro-Suffrage Number, and extended an invitation to all of the friends of Suf- frage to contribute, the only condition being that the contributions submitted should comply with Lure’s usual requirements. This number is the result. An Urgent Need HAT this country needs and needs badly is better railroad engineers. We need engineers with a more inclusive sense of the public welfare. Through some kind of aberrated idea of what railroads are really in- tended for, our engineers have allowed them to deteriorate sadly in many places, have allowed many of the roadbeds to become unsafe and have retained old and rickety cars when both comfort and safety required cars of a newer and stronger type. Instead of paying out money for main- tenance and betterments, these misguided engineers have apparently been thinking only of the stockholders who WHICH WOULD THAT INTELLIGENT MARTIAN VISITOR. PICK OUT FOR THE VOTER? “ESRB * THE MINIMUM WAGE HAS SHE EARNED IT? were waiting patiently for their dividend checks. Often, indeed, they have overworked themselves in order that the return to the stockholders might not be diminished, and therefore it would not be reasonable to question their motives, but the facts are there and are indisputable. Speaking as a stockholder, we can but thank them, of course, and urge them to keep up the good work, but speaking as the public we must insist upon a little more consideration. comicbooks.com