Life, 1916-09-28 · page 14 of 41
Life — September 28, 1916 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a **contest announcement** and **humorous sketches** rather than political satire. The contest asks readers to supply titles for two photographs—a dog and a person on what appears to be a ship or industrial structure. Life offered $500 for the best twenty-word-or-less title fitting both images. Below is a comedic piece titled "Incompatibility" mocking the naming conventions of families with names like "Older," "Younger," and "Younger Older"—creating absurd generational confusion. The joke plays on how such surnames create logical contradictions. A cartoon labeled "Father, when people go to heaven, do they get to be angels right away or do they have to pass a lot of darn old examinations?" depicts a child asking a father this theological question, satirizing formal examination culture by extending it comically to the afterlife.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
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 considered. Envelopes must con- tain nothing but the competing title and the name and address of com- petitors, plainly written on the same sheet. Incompatibility YOUNG man named Older knew an old man named Younger. Old man Younger had a son younger than Older and another Younger older. The older Younger liked the younger Older, and the older Younger’s elder was pleased. But the younger Younger disliked the older Older simply because he was younger and the other was older. Friction grew between the older Younger, the elder Younger and the younger Older through this dislike of the younger Younger, and to this day the Olders and Youngers do not mingle. BACHELOR: Look here! Why the deuce do all you married men per- sist in urging me to join your number? “Well, matrimony loves company.” MOST men are merely hearsay. 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. 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 is open to everyone. “ FATHER, WHEN PEOPLE GO TO HE. N, 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, denes Bere DO THEY GET TO BE ANGELS RIGHT AWAY OR DO THEY HAVE TO PASS A LOT OF DARN OLD EXAMINATIONS?”