Life, 1915-01-14 · page 19 of 44
Life — January 14, 1915 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**The Cartoon (top):** Depicts three fashionable women. The caption satirizes a woman's outdated appearance, revealing she can only spend three-quarters of her husband's salary on clothes—implying this meager allowance makes her look shabby compared to her peers. This mocks both the economic inequality between spouses and the absurdity of judging women's worth by fashion. **"Skinning the Railroads":** Criticizes the Wilson administration (Postmaster-General Burleson from Texas) for allegedly unfairly profiting from parcel post at railroads' expense. The editorial argues that while the cheap parcel post benefits Western constituents, the railroads aren't fairly compensated—a regional political complaint about how Southern and Western political interests exploit Eastern railroad corporations. **"For the Sufferers":** Documents charitable donations for Belgian war relief, listing contributions to help starving Belgian civilians affected by WWI. **"The Last Straw":** A brief political jab suggesting that if Republican Congressman-elect McKinley predicts party reunification after all recent disasters, Americans have endured enough misfortune.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“ HOW OUT OF STYLE SHE Looks!” r “WHY NOT? HER WHOLE ALLOWANCE FOR CLOTHES IS ONLY THREE-QUARTERS OF HER HUSBAND'S SALARY.” Skinning the Railroads HE skinning of the railroads by Congress and the Post-office De- partment in the interest of the parcel post inspires disgust in honest-minded people. Postmaster-General Burleson comes from Texas, a State cursed by shiftless and irresponsible Gould roads, where the habit grew up, not without Provocation, of looking upon all rail- roads, and indeed all corporations from outside the State, as public enemies to be looted at convenience. The South, which now controls the Federal Gov- ernment, does not own the railroads to an appreciable extent. The West, which supports the South in its control, is more interested in freight rates than in dividends or railroad solvency. It values the cheap parcel post, and cares nothing whether the railroads are skinned to make it cheap or not. The Times says the huge Christmas parcel- post business done by the railroads was “certainly not paid for”; that the Post-office revenues have increased sixteen per tent. since the parcel post was established, and the railways’ mail pay two per cent. The difference is profit to the Post-office, but it is not fair or honest profit. For the im- mense convenience and economy of the parcel post, can we not afford to pay the railroads an honest return? For the Sufferers 'HE acknowledgments below include the amounts received at Lire office up to January 2d, inclusivi Previously acknowledged Reginald) T. Fitzpatrick A Friend, New York City. Mass... I. H. Cox, Terre Haute, Ind: Cash, Jackson, Miss... Mary “S. Cummings, Niagara Chapter, Daughters of the Empire, New York City. FL. Troy, N.Y. Mrs. R. R. T., Dayton, The Dow Employees, C Cash, Holtville, Cal. Miss’ Florence ington, D. Sacramento, $4,116.58 To the above total should be added the sums forwarded direct to Dinard by Lire’s readers. The amount so far acknowledged by Mrs. Duryea is something over seventeen hundred dollars, making a gross from Live's readers of almost six thousand dollars. We have also received and forwarded arcels of clothing from Mrs. A. S. Pearson, rooklyn, N. Y., and May G. Alexander, Salt Lake City, Utah. When the history of this greatest of wars comes to be written, one fea- ture that will stand out will be Amer- ica’s quick and effective ministering to the need of the starving and suffering Belgians. What has been done and is being done by our people for our stricken sister nation has no parallel in the history of humanity’s good deeds. In the great volume of this open- handed giving, the amount contributed by Lire and its readers may not seem imposing, but it means that through this one agency alleviation of their suffering has been brought to some five thousand of the most helpless and innocent non-combatants, mostly women and children. And their need is still great. The Last Straw Congressman-elect McKinley pre- dicts a reunited Republican party. —Headline, HE war came on, Colonel Roose- velt got back, and many other things have occurred to make us all discouraged with the ways of Provi- dence. In view of this, must we look forward to a reunited Republican party? Surely we have had enough happen to us.