Life, 1916-11-23 · page 6 of 40
Life — November 23, 1916 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Main Cartoon ("On the Wrong Trail"):** Depicts a man lost among towering books and papers labeled with various topics, with a mountain in the background. This satirizes people pursuing wrong or misguided intellectual paths—"shrinking from knowing." **"His Tread" Comic:** A dialogue between Willie Willis and his mother about what "measured tread" means. The mother explains using his father's drinking habits as an example ("measured about two quarts"), implying the father drinks regularly. The accompanying illustration shows three fashionably-dressed women. The caption "Invisible Hosiery for Certain Physical Imperfections" suggests this is an advertisement disguised as humor, promoting stockings that hide perceived flaws. **Left Column Satirical Notes:** Include commentary on naval commissions, cost of living, the 1912 sinking of the Lusitania, and wartime casualties—typical early WWI-era satirical barbs.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ON THE WRONG TRAIL Things We Shrink from Knowing ‘OR every new ship our navy christens, three go out of commission. The cost of living wili go up, whether Josephus resigns or not. If American militia had been any good in 1812, Canada would now be part of the United $ Woman, lovely woman, “created a little lower than the angels,” has descended from her exalted perch and taken to cigarette smoking and voting, same as a man. Villa is still thriving. The Lusitania was sunk May 7, 1915. War with Spain cost fewer lives than peace with Mexico. There are as many deaths due to carelessness, in the United States in one month, as the German Zeppelins have been responsible for during the entire period of the pres- ent war, His Tread ILLIE WILLIS: Ma, what do they mean by a “ meas- ured tread"? Mama Wits: For example, your father’s tread when he came home last night measured about two quarts. INVISIBLE HOSIERY FOR CERTAIN PHYSICAL IMPERFECTIONS