Life, 1915-02-18 · page 35 of 44
Life — February 18, 1915 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mixes satirical poetry with period advertising. **"The Plumber" poem** by Arthur Guiterman humorously depicts the plumber's paradoxical status: scarce employment in summer, sudden indispensability during winter emergencies. The satire mocks how society simultaneously depends on and disdains tradespeople, forcing them through expensive union courses while begrudging their bills. **"Best Get After the Mormons, Mr. Walsh"** appears to be editorial commentary criticizing tax-exempt institutional wealth. It challenges Francis Patrick Walsh's (likely a real figure) argument about democratic control of endowments, sarcastically noting that the Roman Catholic Church maintains vast tax-free property without public dominance—yet society accepts this. The piece argues against the principle that "people as a whole" must control charitable institutions. **The Sanatogen advertisement** occupies the right half—a patent medicine claiming endorsement by 21,000 physicians, promising nervous system restoration through nutritional tonic. This exemplifies early 20th-century medical marketing's dubious credibility claims. The page satirizes working-class exploitation, institutional hypocrisy, and medical quackery—all contemporary concerns.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Plumber SAY! it’s fierce to be a Plumber! He scarcely gets a Job all summer ; But when the Wintry Blizzards come, Why, everybody makes him plumb. He is, I learn from Truthful Sources, Compelled to take Expensive Courses In Building Laws and Union Rules “Today convinced me that I need tT And Disremembering his Tools. ” ut.” But though his Useful Operations Sanatogen! an, Preserve our Homes from Inundations, ND one day there comes to pest We slur his Industry and Skill macst of aa “the TeeRnetion he, And crudely jest about his Bill. that we, too, must have hat Arthur Guiterman. help—help that rebuilds, restores, me- replaces the nervous energy that Best Get After the Mormons, Mr. Walsh Is there any person who will not challenge a $10,000,000 foundation exempt from taxation and to be used in a way the people as a. whole do not dominate ?—Commissioner has been so recklessly expended. It is then that the kindly, tonic influence of Sanatogen is appreciated. For after all, that need of help is often but the nerves’ need of nourishment. And when Sanatogen brings to the starved cells and tissues the very foods red ancis, Retrick: Walsh they hunger for, in just the form that is Y , Mr. Walsh, there are lots of most easily taken up, it is not long do such“people; lots of people who before relief comes. ~ ; can meet a hundred-million-dollar Over 21,000 physicians have written wink, provided it keeps to the right; enrich the blood—recall keener appetite lots of people, for example, who would and better slumber, and infuse the whole ar not want to challenge the Roman system with a new vigor. om Lares Catholic Church, though it has much Such, too, is the recorded experience addressed | of unse 58. more than a hundred millions in prop- erty, and a non-resident management besides. The idea, Mr. Walsh, that the people as a whole must dominate all effort, even all organized and en- dowed effort, to do good in the world and improve civilization is not gener- ally accepted in these States. The disposition is to keep the road to use- fulness open to all comers, providing merely that they shall respect the rules of the road and not crowd off the other travelers. If you are going to object to all tax-free endowments which the people as a whole do not dominate, you have seas of trouble of scores of the world’s foremost thinkers. And it will be your experience as well, once you decide to give Jour nerves this kindly, restorative aid of Sanatogen. Sanatogen is sold by good druggists everywhere in 3 sizes, from $1.00 up. Congres of Medicine Morrison Fisher, sat itto my overworked tries Sir Glibert Parker, M. _the eminent novelist-statesn the nerves, increasing the energy, and giving exh vigor to the overworked body and lod,” . ahead with your own Church, with the S A N A I @) G E N 3 ENDORSED BY OVER 21,000 PHYSICIANS end for Elbert Hubbard's new book, “ Health in the Making.” Written in his attrac- tive manner and filled with his shrewd phil hy, together with capital advice on Sanatogen, health and contentment. It ree. Address, THE BAUER CHEMICAL CO., 24-E Irving Place, New York The New Idea in Beverages Pressed from world-famous white Niagara grapes, sun- ripened and luscious, Blended with an infusion of fresh, rich ginger root, purest cane sugar and grape fruit. A new flavor! liciousness!. An unfermented champagne with sparkle and exhilaration. HIRES CHAMPANALE say, of mines, other Churches, with the privately en- hundreds of millions, they dowed colleges and hospitals, and many active capital, and factorie ul send sampe Jo ant your grecer's name, other institutions. Nevertheless, Mr. Walsh, while you are filled with this zeal for challenging corporations, why don’t you get after the Mormons? That would be in your line and really within the scope of your commission, and might really be worth something as a public service. Of course you know about the Mormon Church ; that, besides being a kind of Church, it is an immensely rich and active industrial corporation. with farms, ranches and all such property. There is lots to be disclosed about the Mormon Church that would be news to most readers. It is a whale, Mr. Walsh; these other Foundations that you are going for are mere codfish beside it. Perhaps, of course, you are only a trawler and the codfish-size Foundation is as much as you are out for. But you talk like a whaler, Mr. Walsh. If you really are a whaler, get after the Mormon Church, co