Life — May 6, 1915 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "About Drinks" - Life Magazine Article This page contains a satirical article criticizing spirits (hard liquor) while defending beer and wine. The accompanying cartoon, titled "A Base on Balls," shows a figure balanced precariously atop stacked round objects (likely meant to represent alcohol bottles or the intoxicating effects of drinking). The article argues that alcoholic beverages have "so few friends" not because they're inherently bad, but because excessive consumption causes social problems. The satire targets both prohibitionists and heavy drinkers, suggesting that the real issue is *impatience with alcohol's effects*—people who can't handle moderate drinking responsibly. The cartoon visually reinforces this message: the unstable, precarious balance suggests the danger of losing equilibrium through intoxication. The piece advocates for temperance rather than total prohibition, positioning beer and wine as more "temperate" alternatives to spirits.