Life, 1914-05-21 · page 11 of 52
Life — May 21, 1914 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents two satirical pieces critiquing early 20th-century feminism and social trends. **"Modern Miracles"** mocks the "Hushabye baby" nursery rhyme, sarcastically suggesting that when feminists adopt new childcare methods (likely referring to progressive parenting ideas or communal child-rearing), women can abandon traditional motherhood. The poem warns that such "Feministic fads" will cause literal disaster—babies will fall from trees with their cradles. **"Science and Statistics"** uses personification to satirize academic debates: Science and Statistics quarrel over infant mortality rates and the economic value of babies' lives. The satire suggests both fields engage in absurd, emotionless quantification of human welfare. Both pieces mock progressive social reforms of the era as dangerous or ridiculous, using humor to reinforce traditional gender roles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
* Modem Miracles USHABY baby, on the tree top. When the winds of destiny blow, the cost ot living drops, women stop lecturing and apply themselves te their normal functions; then, well, Maybe the cradle will rock. We mustn't, however, forget the tree, When another group of Feministic fads, including Heaven knows what new kinds of hot air, comes along and the tree shakes, the cradle possibly unsupported by enough motherly care, will fall, And down will come baby, cradle and all! Science and Statistics CIENCE was horrified when Statistics discovered that babies to the economic value of two hundred millions of dollars perish each year. “This must cease!” e “It's up to you,” rejoined Statistics, without emotion. But no sooner had Science, fallen on and by various devices, caused the babies to stop perishing than Statistics discovered that half of these were girls and two hundred millions wouldn't begin to dress them. Science looked rather foolish. “The laugh is on you.” quoth Statistics, grimly. RIVAL ATTRACTIONS comicbooks.com