Life — October 5, 1916 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Natural Mistake" - Life Magazine Cartoon The cartoon illustrates the article below it about an anarchist's misguided logic. The image shows a figure at a doorway being confronted by what appears to be a law enforcement or authority figure. The caption reads: "THREE A.M. 'Voice at the Other End': 'AW! WRONG NUMBER! GET OFF THE WIRE, CAN'T YE?'" The article discusses an anarchist who circulates among legislators and executives, examining laws and concluding government causes oppression. The satire's point: the anarchist's reasoning is flawed—he doesn't recognize that laws and policing, while imperfect, actually prevent chaos. The "natural mistake" is believing no government would be better than imperfect government. The late-night wrong-number intrusion may symbolize the anarchist's disruptive interference in society.