Life, 1914-08-13 · page 14 of 40
Life — August 13, 1914 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three separate satirical pieces critiquing early 20th-century social issues: 1. **"A Plea for Clemency"**: Advocates restraint in investigating the P.W.W. (likely the Industrial Workers of the World), arguing that harsh treatment would violate constitutional protections despite their unpopularity. 2. **"Our Way"**: Defends New York State's financial burden relative to national debt, suggesting the state's resources justify its obligations. 3. **"Law Is Funny"**: A series of brief satirical items mocking legal inconsistencies—including a woman keeping stolen money, railroad gentlemen refusing to return loot, and a doctor's violent anti-vaccination stance. The accompanying cartoon depicts crowded public transit, with a joke about conductor payment. The page uses humor to critique legal hypocrisy and social injustice among the wealthy and powerful.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
258 “LIFE: A Plea for Clemency T is to be hoped that nobody will go so far as to make the F, W. W. disgorge. That would be going too far. If it is necessary for the peace of mind of a restive populace to investigate them and expose them and up- braid them and indict them and dissolve them and regulate them, all very well. True, such operations are not pleasant. But these Financial Workers of the World are big and strong and heroic, There is one thing, however, from which they wisely shrink, and that is restitution. To subject them to that would be altogether heartless, a punishment of the cruel and unusual kind prohibited by the Constitution. Our Way EW YORK STATE has but one-tenth of the popula- tion of the country, but it owes one-fourth of the total State debt. This is but one of the many indications of New York's illimitable resources. It means that we are able to support more financiers per capita than dozens of other States combined. If New York were poorer we would pay as we go and save these large annual interest payments. But we don’t have to, and it is so much more pleasant to be lavish and to put off the evil day of reckon- ing as long as possible. “MOTHER, DOES THE CONDUCTOR KEEP ALL THE MONEY OR DOES HE GIVE SOME TO THE MOTORMAN?” TIMES MAY CHANGE “MARY, DID YOU MAIL THAT LETTER I GAVE YOU THIS MORNING?" Law Is Funny HEADEINES in a New York daily tell us: SHE KEEPS $70,000 STOLEN BY HUSBAND WIDOW OF SLAIN ROBBER REFUSES TO PART WITH LOOT AND OFFI- CIALS ARE POWERLESS Why should she part with it? Certain highly respectable railroad gentlemen of this city are also refusing to part with their loot. If justice is a joke in one case, why not in the other? Justifiable Homicide? Ata meeting of the Patchogue, L. L, Town Board of Trustees yes- terday, Justice of the Peace E. W. Lane, of Manorville, said: “T would shoot any man who tried to vaccinate my children against their will or mine."—The Open Door. ND any jury of parents would go easy with him. does not dread to know his own [* these days it is a wise father who son. comicbooks.com