Life, 1915-04-15 · page 39 of 44
Life — April 15, 1915 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This editorial cartoon critiques President Theodore Roosevelt's ally **Theodore P. Shonts**, president of New York's railway companies, who opposed the Health Department's efforts to limit overcrowding on subway and streetcars. **The satire:** Shonts argues that New Yorkers *prefer* being crammed into packed cars and won't accept regulation. The Life writer mockingly agrees—yes, New Yorkers are so accustomed to being "jammed, jostled and jabbed" that they'll reject empty cars to crowd into full ones. Why fight such perversity? The joke exposes Shonts's self-serving logic: by claiming the public *wants* crowding, he avoids spending money on capacity improvements, protecting corporate profits over public health. This reflects Progressive Era tensions between corporate interests and public welfare regulation—a common target of Life magazine's satirical commentary on American civic life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Perverse Public un- This is the eee ne ; ews ! G RESIDENT SHONTS, of the Interborough and the New York Railways Company, or ale uaranty is sure that the Health Department errs in trying to limit crowding on the cars. Bond He says such a regulation can only be enforced by having policemen on the cars that pro- to keep off the excess Passenge . y ko" Geets ouon! [| Let not these words of wisdom from an expert be underestimated. He probably to 4 Si colorand knows more about the New York public and its psychology than the rest of us. He the ioeee and. | knows that the people of New York, thoroughly inured to being jammed, jostled and this | jabbed, will accept no substitute. No matter how many extra cars the companies put te Th on, the people will insist on letting the empty ones go by and crowding into the full ree le ones. Why struggle with such perversity? Tf the public wants to leave it as it is, so should it be, regardless of how many dividends may result. that assures Custom Satisfaction in ready-te- tah | Yer delet GN iely GRE aura OF wean send name of dealer who will. W. M. Steppacher & Bro. In Philadelphia New York, The Vice-President of the United States iow has a special flag, con: This Man Always Has the sisting of the coat-of-arms of the United States on a white field. Right Time! —Washington Dispatch HY stop ther Sone fwelee Have you the right time? Do you apologize— W su eet be ee : or can you answer with certainty, when that question See einy oh State : Bunch of grapes | Conductor_J. 1. Servis, of the. Rock is asked you? eo in Chautauqua circles, surmounted by Heeetis Cables Sete Lined oa aed fine cone great thing in aiwateh aad megaphone on a purple field. Havoitton Watch. urability is the other. Both are combined in the Seeretary of the Navy: Sunday- school hanner, with sarsaparilla bottles ler ? rampant. © Other suggestions will be welcome. ami on a Cc . SEXOLOGY | “The Watch of Railroad Accuracy” by William H. Walling, A. . The Hamilton is not a “pretty near’? watch. It is not an “ i . A fenperts tea close, hole about-a-minute-of”? watch. It is the supremely accurate, dur- Should Have. able, beautiful watch that tells true time all the time. Prices of Hamiltons: The lowest-priced Hamilton is a movement alone for $12.25 ($12.50 in Canada). The highest- priced Hamilton is our Masterpiece at $150.00. Other Hamil- Keowledge a Mather Sheokd Have. tons at $15.00, $25.00, $28.00, $40.00, $55.00, $80.00, $110.00, Keorisdee » Mather Shell bmast wo Her Deng. | etc. Hamiltons are made in y models—in cased watches; ete Keates 6 RAS Sem Be also in movements alone which your jeweler can fit to your ‘797 PERRY BLDG. PHI! present watch case. IF, YOU ARE see eB FIT Write for Hamilton Watch Book, ‘‘The Timekeeper”’ sg or Store describing all models and containing TOUT F RES muci interesting watch information. passat suits waists IGU UNDERWEAR, LaneBryant 37ers HAMILTON WATCH COMPANY “LaneBryant Resort , z ; WRITE MOVING PICTURE PLAYS Dept. K ancaster, Pennsylvania o Covet allot spare Coe NDENCE COURSE WF LAS FLOLISHISG CO. 455 ATLAS Mask RLDG. CINCISSAT comicbooks.com