Life, 1916-03-16 · page 29 of 44
Life — March 16, 1916 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical humor targeting early 20th-century American anxieties. "Our Unpleasant Department" mocks various social groups with darkly comic predictions: married men face domestic troubles; young lovers will be rejected; commuters endure tedious train rides; millionaires face boredom; golfers face upcoming club dues. The tone is deliberately pessimistic, presenting life's minor frustrations as inevitable. The political cartoon below depicts a domestic dispute where a man objects to supporting his wife's relatives—a commentary on marriage financial burdens and family obligation tensions of the era. "A Constitutional Amendment" section satirizes Congress's poor fiscal management, proposing a separate governmental body dedicated solely to saving money and paying debts, implying Congress wastes resources on spending rather than financial responsibility. The cigar shop sketch ("When a Girl's in Love") likely illustrates romantic misadventure, though details are unclear from reproduction quality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SIIREE* 489 aw TOBACCO anecnten tos ot WHEN A GIRL’S IN LOVE Our Unpleasant Department (All unpleasant contributions cheerfully received) WEATHER report for to-morrow: Hail and rain, mud in the streets, high winds, accompanied by snow storms, blizzards and cyclones. If you are a married man, be prepared for this evening We tell you this frankly, knowing that no matter how much. you may wish to do so, you cannot prevent what is coming. Don't delude yourself in advance with the pernicious thought that it could be worse anyway. We positively assuré you that it couldn't be worse. We have an unpleasant surprise in store for you, young man—you, who are in love with Her, and have made up your mind to propose to her to-night. You have been de- luding yourself with the idea that she will accept you— to your amazement you will find that she never had the slightest thought of doing such a thing. Oh, go on just the same. Face the worst! To all millionaires, greeting: This is just to remind you that there is another dull evening in store for you. The last train home; the weary, snorting, puffing, slow, rocking, stuffy, halting, hesitating, never-ending last train home, concluded by a deadly dull walk from the station. Yes, commuters, you who are now on your way to the theatre, let your minds dwell on that! Friends, Hebrews, countrymen! Remember that all the profits you are now making will in time go to the Germans! By the way, have you made a careful examination of the outside of your house? To your amazement, if you will but do so, you will find that the paint is already chipping off and that it cannot possibly go another season without— Are you a golfer this beautiful (?) early spring weather? Club dues coming soon! Remember! This minute you can never live over again! A Constitutional Amendment CONGRESS is empowered by the Constitution of the United States not only to spend moncy and contract debts, but also to save money and pay debts. It is not fair, however, to impose such widely different functions upon such a busy body. We have seen that the contracting of debts and the spending of money in a thorough fashion consume prac- tically all the working time of this great legislative as- sembly. In order, therefore, that the matter of saving money and paying debts be attended to properly, a constitutional amendment should provide for a body which shall be responsible for that and nothing else. Such a body, if care fully organized, would save many times its cost every year. U. S.: THERE'S NO QUESTION OF MY LOVING You, BUT 11's SUPPORTING YOUR RELATIVES IN THERE THAT I OBJECT TO comicbooks.com