Life, 1915-02-18 · page 38 of 44
Life — February 18, 1915 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon illustrates a satirical piece about a New York State experiment testing honesty. A man gave excess change to 16 people; 11 kept the money. The Springfield Republican defended the keepers, suggesting people simply miscounted. Life's satire mocks this excuse: if 11 of 16 kept money—possibly 8 intentionally—the result proves widespread dishonesty, not carelessness. The piece sarcastically suggests the experimenter should have checked whether the thieves were "multimillionaires, doctors or publishers," implying these professions were particularly prone to moral failings. The page also advertises Booth Tarkington's "Penrod" stories (popular youth fiction) and The Biltmore Hotel, alongside an article on military crosses (Iron Cross, Victoria Cross, Legion of Honor). The crosses article contains dark satire about war: these decorations reward those "most successful in making the ordinary crosses of their fellow beings heavier," referencing both literal weight of crosses and human suffering.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Counepolitan, 19 W. 400h Sta Ne ¥ Name...e6 A Footless Test TLY a man in New York State thought he would see what is the proportion of honest people in the world. He invested twenty-five dimes in excess change and found that four men and two women returned the extra dime, and that eleven counted and kept ite The Springfield’ Republican, in defense of these alleged culprits, suggests that per- haps there are many people who count their change without knowing exactly what they are doing. But if out of sixteen people eleven kept the money, and, say, eight of these did it on purpose, this proves nothing. ascertain the occupation of the villains. publishers ? What the gentleman should have done was to Were they multimillionaires, doctors or Ocormepetizan | Did This Ever Happen To You? Quite probably, some time or other. Penrod, his projects, escapades, “love affairs,” will bring happy recollections of the time when you, too, were a youngster. Everybody is talking about these new “kid” stories. ‘The best since Tom Sawyer” is their enthusiastic praise. Booth Tarkington’s inimitable humor has made Penrod a real boy. His stories contain more fun thana bag of monkeys. Your sides will fairly ache with mirth when you read them and Street......cceee sees Tear om this tine Fr the enclosed 28 cents (stamps or coin), seed me Cosmopolitan lor the next three oaths. see the snub-nosed urchins and wistful puppy dogsin Worth Brehm’ s illustrations. If you want a good laugh, read in the March issue how sister Margaret's military cloak walked down- stairs of its own accord. Simply write your name be- low, tear off the bottom of this page carefully, enclose in an envelope, and mail it to us with a quarter. ‘We will do the rest. You will be promptly entered to receive the next three months of Cosmopolitan, “Ameri oe Greatest Magazine.” Remember, you can have money back, no questions asked, if you don’t think this Penrod tale the best story of a boy you ever read. Cosmopolitan 119 West 40th Street New York, N. Y. s+ Mit today OWT \ erica’s Latest and Most ~efined, and New York's Centermo.: Hotel Qalz hotel occupying an, entire city block. | Vanderbilt. and | Ma ‘Aves, 43d and 44th'Sts., adjoin- ing Grand Central Terminal tooo rooms, gso with bath— Rates from $2.50 per day. Suites from 2 to 15 rooms for permanent occupancy. Large ‘and small ball, banquet and dining salons and suites specially arranged for public or private 2 functions. A ay Wis = Mee Bowman Vice-Pres. ‘be A one —— | Crosses ROSSES are divided into many classes. The Iron Cross, the Vic- toria Cross, the Cross of the Legion of Honor, the Red Cross and the Ordi- nary Cross are the most important. The Iron made in Germany, the Victoria in England, and the Cross of the Legion of Honor in France. These three crosses resemble one an- other in this respect—each is given to those who have been most successful in making the ordinary crosses of their fellow beings heavier, and, especially, to those who have been most success- ful in making the services of the Red Cross necessary. There are more Iron Crosses than Victoria and Legion of Honor Crosses being made. This means that the Ger- mans are more efficient than the English or French in furnishing em- ployment for the Red Cross and in increasing the weight of the Ordinary Crosses that men are obliged to carry. The Red Cross is made by those who are trying to alleviate the suffering caused by those who are striving for the Tron, Victoria and Legion of Honor Crosses. It is red because it has heen dipped in the blood that has heen spilled in the winning of Iron, Victoria and Legion ef Honor Crosses. Everybody has an ordinary cross. It becomes especially heavy in those countries where the work of the Iron, Victoria and Legion of Honor Crosses is most in evidence. The Red Cross is always engaged in making the ordinary cross lighter; the Iron, Victoria and Legion of Honor Crosses in making it heavier. There are other crosses that re- semble the Iron, Victoria and Legion of Honor Crosses, but they are unim- portant compared with these three. Moemus. comichooks “Ha CA ultim situa little hand Whe you)