Life, 1916-09-28 · page 27 of 41
Life — September 28, 1916 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* combines vintage advertisements with political humor. The fake ads mock consumer products with absurdist exaggeration—"Inferno Cut Plug" tobacco promises germicide effects, "Fit Starts" touring car claims to climb nearly any hill, and "Mastodon" corsets promise comfort for women unconcerned with appearance. The bottom section contains satirical jokes. "As Usual" mocks doctors' self-aggrandizement: a surgeon takes credit for a patient's survival. "Ideal" ridicules after-dinner speakers who talk too much yet leave audiences feeling they could have performed better. Most politically pointed is "Go West, Republican," which references a *Springfield Republican* newspaper endorsing Woodrow Wilson (Democratic president). The satire suggests this endorsement is so absurd—a Republican paper supporting a Democrat—that it's the paper's "best job," implying the gesture is meaningless or self-contradictory. The letter quotes criticism that no Pacific Coast paper supports Wilson, making the endorsement newsworthy primarily for its oddness rather than its substance.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“1 RCE Advertisements You Have Never Seen re Cur Prue. &E Chance iM BUSTKWICK 1 SUSPENDERS 1 v Ano Everytuine 10 Lose = | OF Hasenpfeffer %% TOURING CAR A SENSIBLE ae | “ Tor The | grows: tho io (CN WILL RUN DOWN Doesnt Care* ALMOST ANY HILL Go West, Republican There is not a daily paper on the Pacific Coast supporting Wilson As Usual Ideal —Letter in the World. “WES, sir, the surgeon says if he “Bs he a good after-dinner speaker?” wry not have the Springfield Re- hadn't performed that operation “Splendid! He never talks more publican open a branch office on on me just when he did I wouldn't be than five minutes, and when he gets the Slope? The Republican's support alive to-day.” through he makes you feel that you of Mr. Wilson is the best job of the “What else do they ever say?” could have done much better.” kind that comes to our notice. comicbooks.com.