Life, 1915-08-05 · page 28 of 44
Life — August 5, 1915 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces targeting early 20th-century American attitudes: **Top cartoon**: A motorist, broken down on the roadside, asks a passerby about machinery—the joke being that early automobiles were so unreliable and mechanically complex that drivers were frequently stranded. **"What Did He Say?"**: This piece satirizes how communication becomes distorted through repetition. A man's modest statement ("I never met a girl I'd rather marry") transforms dramatically as it passes through multiple people, eventually making him sound passionate and the woman accusing him of deception. It mocks romantic miscommunication and gossip. **"Those Luxurious Judges"**: A political critique of Supreme Court justices taking extended paid vacations (five months total) while claiming sympathy for labor causes. The sarcasm suggests hypocrisy—judges enjoying "luxurious leisure" while supposedly supporting workers' demands for shorter hours and higher wages. **Bottom cartoon**: References the Washington cherry tree legend (young George Washington confessing to cutting down his father's tree), humorously updated to modern ambition.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Distracted Motorist (to passer-by): DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT MACHINERY? ‘What Did He Say? HAT he said: “I never met a girl in my life that [ would rather marry than you.” What she thought he said: “ Will you marry me?” What she told her best friend that he said: “I love you.” What her best friend said to another girl that he had said to her: “I simply cannot live without you. I love you. Will you marry me?” What he told his best friend that he had said: “ You're all right.” What his best friend said that he had said: “ You're a nice little girl; kiss me.” What she said when she heard that he had said that he never had said what she said that he had said: “Deceiver!” What he said when he heard that she said that he said what he said he never had said: “ How these girls do love to fool themselves!” Those Luxurious Judges HIS modest announcement of a five months’ vacation on full pay for our Supreme Court should be inter- esting to us all: Wasurxctox, May 17.—The Federal Supreme Court to-day recessed until Tuesday, June 1, when opinions will be announced. Notice was given that the court will recess from June 1 to June 14, and then to June 21, on which date it will adjourn until next October. But it should be particularly interesting and encouraging to our laboring classes, for it means that in cases concern- ing labor these staunch devotees of luxurious leisure will always be found to be sympathetic toward higher wages and shorter hours, When You Get Your New Car “Ho” did you happen to get a —? I haven't heard about them, but they must be good, of course, if you have one.” “This is your first, isn’t it? Oh, well, wait till you've had three or four.” “I wouldn’t take any chances with that stecring-gear, old fellow.” “You say she has the Bunco electric starting system, Well, my advice is, watch it.” “Silent engine, eh? Wait till you've run four or five thousand miles. “Yes, I've heard that the engine in your car is awfully good. What do you care how it looks?” “Pretty good-looking car, eh? If the engine doesn’t break down you ought to get a lot of fun out of it.” “Hello! New car? Oh, I don’t think it makes much difference what you get at that price.” Ambitious Youth: FatHer, ve CUT DOWN ALL THE CHERRY TREES ON THE PLACE