Life, 1914-07-09 · page 37 of 40
Life — July 9, 1914 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This story mocks various professional and intellectual classes' inability to solve society's problems. A series of would-be problem-solvers—a Reformer, Politician, Psychologist, Philosopher, Economist, Lawmaker, and Author—each claim they can help but fail to generate interest. Each represents a predictable, self-serving approach: the Politician demands campaign contributions before acting; others simply repeat tired rhetoric. Only a young Poet succeeds, not by offering solutions but by honest acknowledgment that problems cannot be "solved"—they're inherent to existence and worth living with. The satire suggests that early 20th-century reformers and politicians were frauds offering false panaceas, while only Art/Poetry offered authentic insight into human condition. The page also includes period advertisements (Jeanne Walter's weight-reduction garments, Tareyton cigarettes) and an anecdote about an Irishman seeking praise for basic self-preservation—minor satirical commentary on vanity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Baise le JHE COMFORTABLE LIFE for men and women alike means living free from the annoy- ance and unsightliness of disagreeable, unhealthful fat. Re- | Geciag your fat means not only better health, but vastly | feoroved appearance as well. Youcan rid yourself of super- flows fat casily, hysienically, safely, with leanne Walter’ s Rubber Garments piration ments ¢ safe and duction of essary Sesh. cover the entire body or any part. They are e dorsed by leading phy ckns, BUST REDUCER, $s Tort aad styles Neck and Chin Reducers, $3. Reducers only, $2 rinkle Eradicator or Frown Band, $2. vm Suits. Stockings, Jackers, etc., for the purpose of redacing thy wna Wvahaatle Yo thexe sufleriog trom shewaisins ba ac Weg “Sig Os” $8 ep. Baber Castic Webbing “Si-Dvers” $6 ep Wie at eoee for tarias partners De, JEANNE WALTER, Dest. U, 45 Went 34th St. NEW YORK TE BURN HAN, Dos Reet Wanted a stn Praise | Himself Following a disastrous fire in a West many men and women gathered at the n Some of the men, sceing that a wall near which they were standing was toppling, made haste to get out of the way, and narrowly escaped leing crushed. Johnny Brabison, a good Irish citizen, was so near the wall that he could not escape with the others. So, whirling about, he made for a door in the wall, burst through it, and come out on the other side safe, and evidently very proud of his exploit. Women who had shut their eyes and shricked when they saw cf now gathered round him in and cried out: heaven, Johnny Brabison! ‘our knees, and thank heaven!” “Yis, yis," said he, “and I wasn't it injancyous in me, now?" —Youth’s Companion. fareyton Lond Smoking Mixture | Sample upon eas ue | on S6West 45 Street NewYork.= | X ANTED—AN IDEA! Ss a The Only One O E bright day in autumn a lot of Problems were sitting by the roadside. They were financial, social, personal, civic and many other: “TL wish somebody would come along and solve us,” said one Problem. “I'm getting frightfully tired.” At this moment a Reformer came along. “Twill solve you,” said the Re- former. “Take your turns, Line forms on the right.” He tried thus to stimulate some ex- citement, but nobody moved. “You can’t fool us again,” said one of the Problems. “We've seen you hefore.” The Reformer was followed by a Politician, “I will solve you,” said the politi- cian. “After you have’ made your campaign contributions I shall be glad to begin.” There being no enthusiasm and no contributions, he naturally went y and ow in turn, succeeded by a Psychologist, a Philosopher, a Political Feonomist, a Lawmaker and an Author. Move on!” screamed the Problems. “We've seen your tricks before.” Then there came one so young, so fair, so attractive and so preoccupied that, although he did not seem to be profound, the Problems were all drawn to him. “Solve us,” said the Problems. The stranger, who had been singing to himself, turned and shook his head. “Nobody can do that,” he replied. “They've all tried and failed. Besides, you ought not to be solved. Why, my friends, if you should all be solved you'd vanish, and there would be noth- ing interesting to live for. No, I won't solve you, but I will do some- thing better—I will come nearer than anyone else in the world to telling you what you really are.” “Good!” said all the Problems, clapping their hands, for they per- ceived that he was the only real thing they had seen. And then the Poet sang to them. Being able to float is just astunt that Kelly-Spring- field Gray Tubes will perform for your amuse- ment. But the purity of rubber that makes them float will also make them wear. And that’s more than amusing—it’s mighty saving and gratifying. Kelly-Springfield Ten Tire Al 1 Company Cor. Broadway & 57th St. New York Branch offices in New York, Gneinnati jeveland, Seattle, Atlanta, Tire & Rubber Co., Columbus, Ohio ‘Tire and Rubber Co., Houston, Texas , Denver, Colorado Springs and ed Co., Ine., Syracuse dwe. & Woodstock Co. Lud, New Rochester, & 1, Newark, is ‘Atkinson Tire & Supply’ Co. Central. Rubber & D ¢ ® a od Rubber Co., rnard & Michael, The Ungrateful Poor HE. proposal to bring on the millennium by issuing three-cent pieces and one-half T cents is a splendid and epoch-making contribution to the science of economics When three-cent pieces come in articles which now sell for fifteen cents because of the division of our money into dimes and nickels, will sell for thirteen cents, Thus the poor will greatly benefit. The poor are always benefiting by something of this sort. The number of benefits they have received from time immemorial through kindly legislation is wonderful. That they still go being poor must be their own fault. When thoughtful lawyers are doing so much for them, and sympathetic legislators are so constantly aiding. them, their perverseness is appalling! comicbooks.com