Life, 1916-05-04 · page 13 of 52
Life — May 4, 1916 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts an absurd flying contraption—a blimp-like airship with propellers carrying multiple passengers and cargo, labeled "Infant Industry." This appears to satirize government protectionism and subsidies for struggling American businesses, depicting them as artificially kept aloft by public support rather than genuine economic viability. Below are three brief satirical pieces: "The Leading Don't" mocks societal rules and conventions (the "Don'ts" represent behavioral expectations); "Gentles" critiques synthetic alternatives and questions whether society values artificial substitutes over authentic character; and "Taking No Dares" humorously suggests that excessive moralistic articles (particularly temperance literature) have made people overly cautious. The overall tone is early 20th-century social commentary through absurdist humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
INFANT INDUSTRY “WILLIE, IF YOU NAG ME ANY MORE TO LET YOU GO PLAY BALL WITH THE BOYS, I'LL SPANK YOU coon! The Leading Don't 'HE Don'ts held a convention, in order to increase their influence in the world. Thousands of them gathered, from all lands, especially conspicuous being a vast throng of German Verbotens. The only hitch in the meeting came at the very start, when they had to choose a chairman. Which Don’t deserved that honor? There were many can- didates. ‘Don’t Talk So Much” was prominent because of the large number of children in the world. “ Don’t Pick the Flowers” had many backers. Other favorites were “Don’t Worry” (of literary fame), “Don't Speculate” (beloved of maiden aunts), and “Don’t Be a Fool” (of universal application). But finally, by a tremendous ma- jority, the position was given to “Don't Be Too Sure.” He was nominated by a vigorous speaker, “ Don’t You For- get It,” whose clinching argument was that his candidate was a Don’t who was quite as good for the Don'ts them- selves as for other folks. YER: Is it the kind of a play you can take a girl to see? Ryer: No, it’s the kind you can’t keep her away from. AND DON’T YOU TIP OUT ANY MORE OF THIS WATER!” Gentles F synthetic diamonds, why not synthetic gentlemen or, for that matter, ladies? Three generations are a good many in our economy, and it is a problem of great and growing difficulty to keep families from running through their money before they have had time to produce any gen- tlemen by the natural processes. If synthetic gentility does not at once exhibit the snappy, baked varnish effect of the real thing, it needn’t matter. If our socicty were not broadly tolerant and little given to exacting distinctions, it would long ago have cracked under the strain of a crude environment. Taking No Dares N°” she said firmly to the magazine agent, “ not another magazine crosses my threshold. Henry is naturally contrary, and the articles stir him up dreadfully. Last year he went out and got drunk, for the first time in his life, after reading five temperance articles, and since the muck- raking series on Wall Street he’s spent all his money on war brides. dare.” Henry is a quiet man, but he won't take a comicbooks.com