Life, 1914-01-22 · page 12 of 40
Life — January 22, 1914 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces of satirical social commentary: **Top Section - "Hist!"**: A poem by Peter warning against lending books, illustrated with classical figures. The satire mocks people who borrow books and never return them—a timeless social complaint about dishonest borrowers who exploit friendship. **Bottom Section - "Greater and Greater New York"**: An essay by E.O.J. critiques New York's debt-based economy. It argues that being in debt is normalized as a "privilege" and notes how average families borrow $200 and pay it back in installments to various creditors. The satire exposes how the working poor are trapped in perpetual financial obligation to multiple parties. **Illustration**: Shows a poorly-dressed couple, likely representing working-class New Yorkers struggling with debt. **"The Grounds"**: A brief anecdote mocking factory owners' objections to safety equipment costs.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
140 Hist ! OAN not your books, oh, foolish wight, For if you do so it will blight The thought of friends that you adore, To sce the volumes—never more. Though promises be made by rote, Each borrower lies in his throat; The wretches think 'tis righteous pelf, And honest gain—to rob the shelf. In other matters age and youth, May be able to tell the truth, But airy persiflage in play Is, “I'll return it right away!” Though friendship pleads and passion sues, Don't lose your wisdom for a ruse, Lest you shall mutter at the end, “The book was better than the Eve: NOW THAT THE EDEN SEASON IS OVER, WHERE SHALL YOU GO, MR. friend!” nirro? “ WELL, WE WERE INVITED TO JOIN THE ALECK GATORS AT PALM BEACH, BUT MRS, H, HAS HER HEART SET ON THE NILE.” Peter, Greater And Greater New York ERHAPS New York's most definite reason for being a bit braggy is that she pays fifty-five million dollars a year for the privilege of being in debt. And who shall say that it isn’t a great privilege? One can't be in debt without having credit. And one can’t have credit without being entitled to it, for capitalists are timid. Fifty millions per year means—let’s see, where’s our pencil? It means that each resident, man, woman and child, has borrowed $200 from someone, so to speak, and is paying to that someone $11 a year, exclusive of all other payments to trusts, landlords, waiters and taxicabs. On the same basis the figures for the average head of a family would be $1,000 and $55 per year. Put in that way, the advantage of belonging to a biy and creditable community shows clearly, for, if left to our own devices, the average head of a family could not possibly negotiate a loan of one thousand dollars, even from a loan shark at exorbitant rates. Let us, therefore, hang together. Let us remember that united we owe and divided we pay. E.0.J. The Grounds TH chairman of the Factory Commission eyed the Cottoncloth Co.’s president with not a little perplexity. “On what grounds,” queried he, “do you object to equip- ping your mills with the safety devices we recommend?” “On altruistic grounds,” was the fervent reply. “The “Thou source of all my bliss and all my woe, cost of equipping would be so great that. to meet it, I Thou found’st me poor at first and keep’st me so.” should have to cut down the wages of my child operatives.”