Life — January 14, 1915 — page 13: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon from *Life* magazine mocking a secretive fraternal organization. The caption reads: "CLUBS WE DO NOT CARE TO JOIN: THE GRAND, HIGH, NOBLE AND EXALTED ORDER OF KNIGHTS OF THE EMPTY DOME." The cartoon depicts an initiation ceremony where robed figures (likely representing the Ku Klux Klan, based on the visual style and "empty dome" reference—a derogatory term for lacking intelligence) perform ritualistic actions on a seated initiate. The "EKO" shield at top suggests the organization's purported name. The satire ridicules fraternal groups claiming grandiose titles while actually being composed of unintelligent members. The phrase "empty dome" is a deliberate insult to members' intellectual capacity. This represents *Life*'s editorial stance against such secretive, ritualistic organizations popular in early 20th-century America.