Life, 1916-06-01 · page 37 of 44
Life — June 1, 1916 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **satirical commentary and advertisements** rather than a political cartoon. The main satire is the "Roads" essay—a mock-serious piece using deadpan humor to critique American roads and automobiles. Life sarcastically defines roads as devices "for autos to wear out" and notes they "kill chickens, dogs and children." The joke extends to personifying roads: when they enter cities, they become "puffed up with importance" and develop "diseases" like "gaspipeitis" and "graftonomy" (invented ailments suggesting gas pipes and grafting/corruption). This mocks both poor road conditions and urban pretension. The advertisements—**Crème Yvette** dessert liqueur and **Kodak cameras**—are straightforward period ads. The brief essay on **"Respectability"** uses metaphor (a dam holding back water) to argue that respectability, while restrictive, provides necessary discipline and channels human energy productively. **Context for modern readers:** The 1920s auto boom created notorious road conditions; satirizing roads and urban "importance" would resonate with contemporary readers frustrated by infrastructure problems.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
) reer Roads ROAD is a device of long stand- ing, which in modern times is used for autos to wear out. Roads are also used to raise dust and taxes and kill chickens, dogs and children, Roads are very common, almost as common as accidents. We sce them ev- erywhere, It is quite difficult, indeed, to go any distance without running across one. Roads are made of various materials. In the northern part of this country they are made of bluestone and macadam. In the southern part they are made of mud. Of the two kinds of material, the mud is likely to be more durable, which, as the YVETTE (Pronounced E-vet ) “For Smart Desserts” Do not be satisfied to serve “ the usual thing” in desserts at your lunch- cons, pe teas and dinners. There are so many delightful ices, sorbets, charlottes and jellies that you can make with Créme Yvette. These desserts have the subtle bouquet and taste of the violet, as well as the colour. Famous chefs regard Créme Yvette as their first aid when they want to obtain some especially enticing sweet. Creme Yvette is sold at 80c and $1.50 per bottle at fancy grocers and wine dealers. Book of sgitd recioea: by well-known Chefs, sent free. Write for it now. SHEFFIELD COMPANY 7th Ave. at 14th St., New York TR OT with you. EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, Catalog free at your dealer's, or by mail. Scripture so beautifully expresses it, * sticketh to one like a brother.” Roads are not always friendly with each other and, although they can be seen constantly mingling together, they are likely to be cross. When a road enters a city it becomes puffed up with importance, and is then known as a street, a boulevard or an avenue. Life in cities, however, in spite of the society, is not always agreeable to roads, which are then likely to be afticted with various diseases, among which we may mention gaspipeitis, telegraphitis and graftonomy. ROCHESTER, N. Y., The Kodak City. Respectability ESPECTABILITY is a dam, It says, “Tam what does it.” But the truth is what does it is the water that is held back and piles up till it finds an effective outlet, Respectability: says, “You can’t do this! You can’t do that!” All the harder drives energy at the openings that are left. After all has been said against it, and there is plenty to say, Respecta: bility still remains a discipline, and valu- able for that. comicbooks.com