Life, 1916-09-21 · page 17 of 44
Life — September 21, 1916 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1916 *Life* magazine page contains two distinct satirical elements: **The Contest:** A $500 prize for readers to title two images—a dog scratching and a person under a cannon—applicable to both pictures. **"See the Voter" Section:** A mock-serious dialogue mocking voter apathy. It personifies "General Apathy" as defeating the Voter, suggesting citizens are so confused or exhausted by political campaigning that they've become lethargic and disengaged. The critique suggests politicians have shifted from "hypnotizing" voters to deliberately making them passive ("lethargizing"). This reflects Progressive Era concerns about voter participation and suggests political manipulation is deliberately inducing voter indifference. **"Immune" Cartoon:** A gender-based joke about kissing safety, playing on contemporary anxieties about disease transmission. **"Merely a Difference in Salary" Cartoon:** Satirizes wealth inequality—depicting a wealthy man and laborer as opposites, suggesting their vastly different circumstances stem only from salary disparity rather than systemic differences.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
For the best single title (in twenty words or less) that fits both these pictures LIFE will pay $500. Manuscripts should be addressed to The Contest Editor of Lire, 17 West 31st Street, New York. Conditions of the Contest The title, with sub-title, in prose or verse or in whatever form submitted, must not exceed twenty words. By “best” is meant that title which, com- bining wit, humor and originality, is applicable not only to each picture, but to both. No quotations will be considered. Envelopes must con- tain nothing but the competing title and the name and address of com- petitors, plainly written on the same sheet. Envelopes addressed in any other way will not be considered. All titles submitted must be at Lire’s office not later than Monday, October 2, 1916. The contest will close at noon of that date. Within two weeks from October 2 a check for $300 will be sent to the winner. Announcement of winner will be made in Lire’s issue of November 2. It is not necessary to be a subscriber to Lire in order to compete. The con- test 1s open to everyone. If the winning answer is duplicated, the prize will also be duplicated. No manuscript will be returned. The editors of Lire will be the judges... They will award the prize to the title which, in their judgment, is the most deserving, and will debar any contribution not conforming to these conditions. The carlicr you get your title in the better. In previous contests many arrived too late See the Voter O and behold the Voter! See. The Voter has his eyes shut. asleep? Aye, indeed, the Voter is almost asleep. What is the matter with the Voter? The Voter has just had a long argument with General Apathy, and General Apathy won out. Is it a serious condition? Of course. It is a very serious condition, What could be more serious than for a worthy Voter to have a vote and being so bewildered as to what to do with it that he has about decided not to do anything at all? It does seem rather inappropriate, to be sure, not to say unprecedentedly anomalous. Can anything be done about it? Perhaps, in time. Formerly candidates for office studied how to hypnotize the Voter; now they lethargize him. Next they may find it necessary to energize him. Immune HE: Do you think, dear, there is any danger of my catching anything if you kiss me? He: No girl ever has. Is the Voter opinions most apt to do us good are those we TH E resent, MERELY A DIFFERENCE IN SALARY comicbooks.com