Life, 1916-09-28 · page 12 of 41
Life — September 28, 1916 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This three-scene satirical piece imagines a world where social hierarchies are inverted. **Scene One** depicts a prisoner lecturing a judge from the bench, reversing courtroom authority. The prisoner accuses the judge of judicial corruption—preventing cases from trial and abusing his influence—then orders the judge jailed as "a menace to society." **Scenes Two and Three** show domestic role reversals: a daughter patronizes her father about attending "see-plays," and a doctor takes orders from a baby patient. The satire's point appears to be social commentary on authority, class, and professional hierarchies—suggesting these structures depend on convention rather than inherent superiority. By flipping them absurdly, the cartoonist questions their legitimacy, likely appealing to early-20th-century audiences skeptical of institutional power.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
528 If Things Were Reversed Number One CENE—A courtroom. Tur Prisoner (pounding gavel): Order in the court! bring on your man, Juvce: Your Honor— Prisoner: Stand up when you ad- dress me or I'll fine you for contempt by giving you a couple more years. Now, what is the charge against this man? District Attorney: He’s a judge. Prisoner: That's enough. If he’s a judge, at one time he must have been with Now, a lawyer — District AttorNe: your Honor. Prisoner: Don’t argue with me, sir. (Turning to judge.) You have spent your life in defeating the ends of justice, whatever that is; you've given wrong interpretations, have lent the weight of your influence to prevent cases coming to trial, and are a back number. Take him away, officer, and never let me see his face again. Lock him up in jail and keep him there He’s a menace to society! : Not necessarily, Number Two Sc A home, Daucuter: Father, come here! Where have you been, listening to one of those sex-plays? Fatuer: Yes, dear daughter, I thought you wouldn't mind, Davcuter (severely): You know “ ALL JOKING ASIDE” eR CUM ae, Spiritualist: piv YoU WANT TO SEE THE SHADE OF YOUR LATE WIFE? ‘M; I-l REMEMBAH HER SHADE, that. You should be severely punished. If I didn’t have an important engagement I'd do it. Fatner: But, daughter dear, every- one clse is going. I thought it no harm. Daventer: My dear father, you don’t understand about these things. There is no harm in knowledge when is true to nature, but at your time of life nothing could be worse than to have instilled into your old and doddering mind utterly false ideas. Why, if I should permit this sort.of thing you might at any time go off and marry some woman old cnough to be your grandmother, instead of some sixteen-year-old girl. Fatuer: But what am I erybody is learning. better than to do? SH-SHE WAS SORT 0’ DARK MAROON Daucnter (calmly): Come to me. As long as you insist upon knowing the actual facts, they should come only from me. Now run away and earn my daily café parfait. Number Three Scene—A_ bedroom. Tue Basy: Well, what's the matter with you? Tue Doctor: in my stomach. Tur Basy (jabbing him): There? Tue Doctor: Oho, oho! Tue Bany: Shut up! (Writes rapidly.) Now send over to the drug- store and get this, and this, and this; take ‘em all; keep on taking ‘em. I have an awful pain Where? comicbooks.com