Life, 1916-04-27 · page 30 of 44
Life — April 27, 1916 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a political fable mocking the relationship between organized labor ("Pussy Proletariat," dressed in working-class red sabots) and big business (the "Giant Trust"). The satire works on multiple levels: **The Setup:** Pussy flatters and manipulates the powerful Giant Trust through deference, having "learned that nothing succeeds like flattery"—a critique of how workers must appease capitalists. **The Transformation Joke:** When the Trust transforms into "Initiative and Referendum" (progressive political reforms), Pussy remains fearful rather than liberated, suggesting these reforms lack real power or substance. **The Twist Ending:** The Trust shrinks to a harmless mouse, and Pussy immediately prepares to seize his wealth, calling family to "share the property"—satirizing the working class's dream of expropriating capitalist assets. **The Moral:** Revolution accomplished "without bloodshed" through cunning flattery rather than violent uprising. This reflects early 20th-century debates about labor organizing, trust-busting, and whether gradual reform or radical redistribution would solve economic inequality.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Last Tum (Being One of Our Latest Style Com- bination Fable and Fairy Tales) puss PROLETARIAT, having invested in a brand-new pair of sabots of bright red, strolled out one day through the park owned by the Giant Trust. Coming to the giant's castle, she boldly rang the bell. That gentleman had just finished a break- fast of widows and orphans, and was excellently well disposed. “Can you do anything else but be what you are?” said Pussy Proletariat, with an admiring glance. “Sure,” said the Giant Trust. “I can turn into an Initiative and Referen- dum.” So saying, he did it. Pussy Proletariat was very much afraid, on account of his mass, that he would roll over on top of her, especially as, in his new form, he did not appear to be over intelligent. So she applauded dis- creetly at a distance, “That's splendid,” she purred. It had taken many years of oppression on her part to learn that nothing suc- ceeds like flattery. “What else can you do?” “Anything you say,” replied the giant, who experienced an entirely new sensation as he turned back. “Enormously exciting!” exclaimed Pussy Proletariat, who trembled se- Editor: THE REJECTION OF A CONTRIBUTION DOES NOT NECESSARILY IMPLY LACK OF MERIT, ETC, cretly in her sabots for fear the Giant Trust would do something original and dangerous. On the contrary, however, the Giant Trust, while out- wardly fierce, began immediately to fawn upon her. “T could be a great help to you,” he suggested, showing his wonderful teeth, “if you would only let me be- come more intimate with you. Think this over, will you, and let me know, say, by October or November, how you feel about it.” Then the Giant Trust said: “Well, are you satisfied with my brilliant stunts?” “ Wonderful!” exclaimed Pussy Pro- letariat, “but I have a delightful idea which I am sure will appeal to you; be- sides, it will be a pleasant change. Could you, for example, turn into something small?” “Surest thing you know,” said the Giaut Trust. “How about a rat?” “Or a bull mouse! Isn’t that aw- fully funny?” “Deelighted!” So the Giant Trust at once turned into a little bull mouse, so small that he could easily ride on the back of an elephant. MORAL, “ And it was all done without blood- shed,” said Pussy Proletariat, as she prepared to take an after-dinner nap before calling in the rest of the family to help share the property of her late master. Open for Business 'E supply noise. Call and hear a sample. Our plant is located in the heart of the metropolis, and we keep constantly in stock a full supply of every known noise; new noises con- stantly being invented. City officials are always helping us in our great work. We spare no pains to produce the highest type of noise. Any nervous system completely ruined in three weeks. Almost anyone can produce a noise; our specialty lies in getting the right combinations. We have a street car gong, auto horn, hand organ and steel rail combination that cannot be excelled. Our night service is superb. For references, consult the Mayor, the District Attorney or the Chairman of the Board of Aldermen. Shout us up. Metropouitan Noise Distriputinc Company, UNLIMITED. Heirity is a sad garment that looks better with a fringe of humor. comicbooks.com