Life, 1916-11-16 · page 19 of 46
Life — November 16, 1916 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece critiques extreme wealth accumulation among America's industrial titans (Ford, Schwab, Frick, Rockefeller) during the Gilded Age. The main illustration shows "J. Dodge-Wurke," a fictional character who squandered three fortunes in five years—likely a composite caricature representing reckless wealthy industrialists. The text argues that excessive riches concentrate in fewer hands, creating an unhealthy economy ("fatty degeneration of the heart"). The author sarcastically warns that billionaires' extravagant spending—Frick's $250,000 Rembrandt, Schwab demolishing buildings for a better view—signals the country is getting dangerously wealthy too quickly, potentially leading to economic collapse. The bottom cartoon shows a starving dog, captioned about swearing off gnawing bones—a visual metaphor for the common person struggling while the wealthy indulge, mocking the pretense of restraint. The satire warns: unchecked wealth inequality and conspicuous consumption threaten national stability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
GREAT AMERICANS J. DODGE-WURKE, WHO HAS RUN THROUGH THREC FORTUNES IN FIVE YEARS Over-indulgence LONG with the statement that Mr. Henry Ford was making a profit of nearly a million a week came the news that Mr. Schwab was tearing down and making over a whole set of college buildings in order not to have the view obstructed from the windows of his new house, and that Mr. Henry Frick had bought a Rem- brandt for $230,000. These items of presumably absorbing interest to the general public were supplemented by the stirring announcement that, owing to the increase in the price of Standard Oil stock, Mr. Rockefeller was now a billionaire. Nobody objects to these gentlemen having so much money, because after one has mastered the problem of three square meals, a bed and a roof, happi- 853 ness is largely a matter of tempera- ment, and because, after all, it only means that one man’s name will be tagged for a while to a mass of earthly possessions which will soon be redis- tributed. These gentlemen, estimable as they may be, have nothing but their fortunes to fall back on. Rob them of their money and they are much like a lobster without claws. The real significance of these items lies in the fact that they are evidence that the few rich are getting richer; that is to say, the whole country is get- ting so wealthy that its few million- aires are becoming billionaires. Now a group of billionaires in any country means fatty degeneration of the heart. Unless all signs fail, the United States will soon have to pant to keep alive. If this is done by proper exercise and abstention from rich food, and comes on gradually, well and good. But will it come in this manner? May it not come too suddenly? More Prosperity Wanted ALTHOUGH we have unparalleled prosperity in this country, there is no reason whatsoever why we should be satisfied. Let us keep on upon the glorious road, taking one by one every necessary of life that we can find and raising its price to the uttermost limits. Prosperity should not stop until the consumer is forced to part with his very last cent. I KNOW I SWORE OFF GNAWING BONES, BUT I MIGHT AS WELL TAKE A comicbooks.com