Life, 1914-08-06 · page 22 of 40
Life — August 6, 1914 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains deeply racist content reflecting early 20th-century attitudes. The main "Greeting!" dialogue depicts a white person coldly dismissing a Black person, suggesting they're a burden ("you cost us a lot") and should leave the country or solve their own problems. The speaker callously concludes that when problems can't be solved, "get rid of it"—a chilling euphemism. The other cartoons appear unrelated: "A Baffling Delivery" depicts baseball players discussing a trick pitch; "Sniping" shows a figure at a doorway; and "Prospective Suicide" makes a dark joke about unreliable train schedules. The "Greeting" piece represents the magazine's satirical critique of white indifference and hostility toward Black Americans, though framed through the perpetrator's own callous voice—likely intending satirical exposure rather than endorsement, though the execution is deeply offensive by modern standards.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Greeting ! ELLO, colored brother! Where did you come from? Oh, yes, I remember. How have you been since? Not well? Um! Isn't that your own fault? Then why not learn to take care of yourself? That’s what we try to do at least. By the way, do you know you cost us a lot? What's that? True. But you ought to have sense enough to leave when you are not wanted. No place to go? Not even back in Africa? Nonsense! Well, even if it’s true, it’s no excuse. Brains? Not our fault. We don’t create people, We only create prob lems. Exactly. You're one of ‘em, That's why we want to get rid of you. Eh? A BAFFLING DELIVERY Certainly. Why not? It’s the only SHOOT AND?Apaor.# way we know about, anyway. When you can’t solve a problem, get rid of “COURSE YA CAN'T, YA SIMP! DAT’S DE BEAUTY OF IT. HOWJA THINK I it. That's our idea. FOOLED DE BATTERS?” “Wat's her bridge like?” “The Bridge of Sighs—makes everyone gasp.” Prospective Suicide: paAMMit! THE TRAL SNIPING THIS LINE ARE NEVER ON TIME! comicbooks.com