Life, 1914-10-15 · page 4 of 48
Life — October 15, 1914 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes American labor and manufacturing. A tall figure in formal dress (likely representing American industry or capital) stands to the right, directing a large crowd of small workers—depicted as simplified, identical figures carrying "LIFE" signs and other labels. The workers move in lockstep formation, suggesting mechanized, dehumanized labor. The title "Made In America" is ironic: rather than celebrating American manufacturing prowess, the cartoon critiques how American industrial production treats workers as interchangeable, uniform components. The crowd's uniformity and obedience to the figure's command implies workers lack individuality and autonomy, reduced to cogs in an industrial machine. This reflects early-20th-century concerns about factory labor conditions, mass production, and worker exploitation in America.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“ Made In America” Next week’s Life is another superbly regular number. The one after that however is a special. It deals with old- fashioned folks. And in its turn it will be succeeded by the Thanksgiving Number. Your becoming a regular sub- scriber now that the Autumn has begun by paying from one to five dollars, is of course a matter for you to decide. You run all the risk. It isn’t always safe to be too regu- larly cheerful. Beware, therefore, of sending in your subscription ! J ws r Offer Enclosed find One Dol- lar (Canadian $1.13, Foreign $1.26). Send Lire for three months to “SAY, MISTER, YOU MUST ACHE ALL OVER WHEN YOU EAT GREEN APPLES” This picture, printed above, ts only one of many pf Open. only to new subscribers; no sub tn the Miniature fe Number 3, just out. This ts scription renewed at this rate, 2 pocket edition of Life, printed in color, and teeming with wit and humor, We send this free to any LIFE, 17 West 31st Street, New York address on receipt of a two-cent stamp. Ove Year, $5.00. (Canadian, $5.52; Foreign, $6.04.) comicbooks.com