Life — February 11, 1915 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Going Down" - Life Magazine Satirical Story This page presents a satirical narrative about newspaper editorial authority. An editor summons Aladdin (a genie figure) to remove a rival editor he deems unfit, claiming newspapers should be run by "experts"—bankers, railroad men, and financiers—not editors themselves. The cartoon's satire targets **early 20th-century consolidation of newspaper ownership** by wealthy industrialists and financiers who believed businessmen, not journalists, should control media content. The "man on the inside" illustration reinforces this theme of hidden manipulation. The dialogue mocks the editor's pretension that professional expertise justifies removing editorial independence. The final exchange between Crawford and Crabshaw suggests this editorial takeover has actually caused marital trouble, undercutting the editor's confident justification for his actions.