Life, 1916-05-25 · page 36 of 40
Life — May 25, 1916 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical essay (not a cartoon) defending controversial government officials of the Wilson administration—Secretary of Treasury McAdoo, Secretary of Navy Daniels, and Postmaster General Burleson. These figures faced criticism from banks, shipping interests, railroad companies, and the military establishment. The author argues that "unpleasant people who are willing to be disagreeable" serve a useful social function, like mosquitoes forcing us to drain swamps and establish sanitation. Similarly, these unpopular officials, by antagonizing powerful interests, compel them toward reform and accountability. The piece uses the metaphor of pest control to justify their controversial policies and unpopularity. A brief dialogue at bottom mocks hyphenated Americans (immigrants with divided loyalties), reflecting period xenophobia. The page is primarily advertisements for Budweiser, Bell-Ans antacid, cigars, and cocktails.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ee Budweiser Gn Budweiser you get a flavor and a bouquet that are invariably the same— delightful and distinctive. Jhese qualities are directly due to our exclusive use of Imported Saazer Hops. © dhese hops cannot now be Cures: owing to the war. @ anticipated this situa~ tion before the embargo went On. Gn the hop house shown is cree rendre eu sions supply ast through 191 ~ Vou profit iS Ouse foresight — y) Bottled at the Brewery ANHEUSER-BUSCH, sr. Louis. The Office of Unpleasant People WE are stung by bugs, usually for our sins. We are criticised by unpleasant peo- ple who don’t mind being disagreeable. We do not like these unpleasant peo- ple who sting us, and they are not very likable. The banks, the shipping interests and many others do not like Secretary Mc- Adoo, The embattled admirals and most other officers of the navy do not like Secretary Daniels. A number of people, especially railroad people, ob- ject to Postmaster General Burleson Nevertheless, we should always re- member that unpleasant people who are willing to be disagreeable have their uses and often accomplish what more conciliatory and amiable people would never achieve, When we are worse bitten by mos- quitoes than we can stand we get to work and drain the water holes and establish sanitary regulations. When the banks are bitten by Mr. McAdoo, the admirals by Mr. Daniels, the rail- roads by Mr, Burleson, they are all stimulated to clean up and make them- selves bite-proof. In the end the biters and stingers are driven away, but not until they have done their office, which is to sting their victims into activity in sanitation and reformation, MERICAN: Don't you think love of country ought to be taught in public schools of U. S. A.? Hypuenate: Which country? Those who know most about cocktails are quick- est to overcome any | prejudice against the bottled | product when they critically test | Club Cocktails Because you cannot hide the aroma, the master blending, and the ageing in the kindly wood which have smoothed and thick aq aod lux aneeactin agrceab mode. dren as scalp he oll Fi prepaid aad ink Restore BELL-ANS Vaccination Absolutely Removes Indigestion. One package proves it. 25c at all druggists. FoR OF BRAINS Cortes AGARS “MADE AT KEY WEST— Our objection to the practice is not tha t dircetly kills, but that it lays the foun dation for future ill health, Another ob- ection is that no man has the right to compel his ncighbor to protect himself acainst’ small-pox by putting modified 1all-pox virus into the blood, than he has to take him by the nape of the neck and run him into a church to from hell.—Homoeopathic Envoy. finished old andrare liquors it} toa final product of exception J) ‘al and distinctive excellence. G. F. HEUBLEIN & BRO. Hartford New York Londoa Importers of the Famous BRAND'S A-1 SAUCE comicbooks.com