Life, 1916-03-30 · page 38 of 45
Life — March 30, 1916 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page (page 594) combines satirical opinion pieces with advertising and Vanity Fair magazine promotion. **"One Month of Pure Housework"** argues that privileged women should be forced to do their own housework for a month as a patriotic service—paralleling men's military preparation. The piece sarcastically suggests this would teach them "the blessings of work" and improve bad cooks. This reflects early 20th-century class attitudes: domestic labor was seen as character-building for the wealthy, while servants were viewed as a solvable "problem." **"An Application"** is a humorous letter to President Woodrow Wilson from someone offering himself as military chief of staff—despite being ignorant of military matters, born south of the Mason-Dixon line (implying regional bias), and hating facts. It satirizes unqualified appointees and political patronage systems of the era. Both pieces reflect wartime anxieties (likely WWI period) and satirize privilege, incompetence, and gender expectations typical of Life's comedic approach.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
> me The Polka-dot An agreeable change from stripes; and in the best of good taste as made in the Shirt Blue, lavender or green polka-dot, on corded white madras. Laundered cuffs, Price $1.50. At Emery dealers, Emery Nek-ban-tab opens the button pocket, at back of neckband, and lets you slip your collar button right’ in. If your dealer can't supply you, write to W. M. Steppacher & Bro., Inc., Philadelphia One Month of Pure Housework ETTLING the servant problem is not so difficult as is thought. Let a month be set aside in which every woman in this country will be forced to do her own house- work, If our men are to give up their time to prepare against invasion, why should not our women do their share? A month’s service in the domestic field would do the pampered women of this country more good than anything else. They would learn the blessings of work. All the bad cooks in the country—and there are quite a number—would be brought to their senses if they had to remain out of work for a solid month. Here is a great reform. Please, Miss Anne Morgan, do something about it. An Application S Excellency Woodrow Wilson. Dear Sir: Noticing there is some difficulty in arriving at a conclusion about our national defences, I respect- fully request that you appoint me as chief of staff both of the army and navy. I shall be glad to lay out a pro- gram which will make things worse, if possible, than they are now. That I am fully fitted for this post you will see from the following list of my quali- fications. First: I was born south of Mason and Dixon's line. Second: I am in absolute igyorance of everything military. Third: I hate facts. Please let me know as soon as pos- sible, as several political parties are after me. Patriotically yours, Cuesterton Topp, The most successful of all the new magazines Don’t Be a Social Back Number— If you are out of step with the whirling progress of our time; if you are removed from its magnetic influences; if, despite your youth, you are becoming an old fogey, or an old maid, or an old bachelor, or an old bore; if your joie de vivre is dying at the roots—then you must ead Vanity Fair, and presto! you will be nimble-witted and agile-minded again—the by dard the picnic—the life of the grill-room—sunshine in the home, Six months of Vanity Fair will enable you to ignite a dinner party at fifty yards Don't eettie down comfortably in the cose. The world is moving, moving on all eight cylindere—eome folks are even oo twelve—and you might just as well move along with them. Don't stall yourself on life's highroad and be satisfied to take ‘everybody else's dust. Hop up and take a little joy ride on tho red and yellow band-wagon—Vanity Fair's band-wagon. Every Issue of Vanity Fair Contains: ‘WHE STAGE: Firs:-night and bebied- the-scenes views of the Dewest plays with portraks. THE OPERA Ano MUSIC: Stoica portraits ot the new singers, com ‘posers, ccodactors and whatever's pew bout the eld cones. THE ARTS: Ihustrated news and crtti- disng of pictures, architecture, HUMOR: The most original and amus- Sogworksotcuryoung writersandanisss, PROPLE Seriklaganduneras!porralts PARIS AND LONDON: The Latest 4). ‘Yerungnewstrom the Europeapeapiuls, DANCMG Oxtdoor dances, tedoor dances, thythinle dances, coumicdunces, FASHIONS: From Paris, Londen and New York for all Gscrialnating mea ind wonen, 0008 AND moTORS: SMirebestored corsast the beset ‘with descriptions and tinely jon of them. SHOPPING: Anindextothebest ‘shat they sel, and a shoppiag efiert SG boundtotmerestalertacaasdwocsen, Try a Little Dollar Diplomacy! You think nothing,in your poor deluded way—of paying $2.00 for a theatre ticket, or for a new book, but for only $1.00 you can secure six months of Vanity Fair, and with it more entertain- ment than you can derive from dozens of sex plays or a shelf full of problem novels. comicbooks.com