Life — December 28, 1916 — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘Ae LE Life’s Contest in Criticism $500. Reward Offered for the Best Criticism of Life (Nore: No. 3—Life Pittsfield, Mass. N invitation to criticism—criticism that commends or constructs, carps or condemns. How like Lire! Surely, after the campaign, the vials of criticism must be exhausted, yet here is Lire serene in the confidence that at the bottom, somewhere, a drop remains. Criticise Lire? As consistently criticise your wife or pick flaws in a friend who was shouting for you when you didn't have a cent! Tt can't be done! I traveled back along the road of mem- ory to the big drive against child-labor and I said: “ When Congress enacted and the President signed, Lire’s fight became a law Barren ground for criticism there! Then I thought of the instrumentalities that have operated to make our drama clean; that in literature have set a new standard in selective values; that have made devotees of cant and hypocrisy blush for shame; that have rebuked the infliction of cruelty upon those incapable of uttering protesting speech; that have removed the fur coat from art and made even old Adam's corpuscles shout for joy— and I thought of Lire! My criticism of Lire, if criticism there must be, is simply this: It is a great publication be- cause it is not afraid to laugh, even at itself. It is an in- fluential publication because it does not hesitate to take Josephus at less than his own valuation. It is a clever pub- lication because—oh, I cannot crowd the reasons into two hundred and fifty words. No. 4 ‘O Lire: Sharon, Pa. First. Your extreme pro-Ally attitude is too strong. You should cater to every nationality and show the Amer- ican sense of fair play. Most of us are pro-Ally, yet we like to see both sides of this affair. As they say in the classics, “ Give the devil his dues.” conn: Your editorials are clean, educational and command respect. When we find that our views do not correspond with yours, we should stop reading the edi- torial—but we don’t. We are drawn on by the underly- .ing humor, that compels us to “obey that impulse,” and we go on. Tuirv. Your dramatic criticisms are unbiased and save us much mental anguish. By consulting Lire, we know, before we go to the theatre, whether we are going to see sprightly maids in pneumonia-producing costumes, or a sex play that would shock the master of a Turkish harem. Fourti, The rough-shod manner in which you go after the radical M. D.’s is worthy of praise. Your fight against dissecting, plague scares and compulsory vaccination, is shared by most of your readers. Firtu. Your most humane accomplishments are: Your Annual Fresh Air Farm and the Orphaned Baby Fund. The Criticism Contest is now closed. The award of the prize will be announced in the issue of January 18. Wo shall endeavor to print as many contributions as possible before that date) ve These acts of humanity are worth more than miles of pa- thetic copy, handed us by other magazines. Actions count. Sixtu. Your greatest asset is the faith, enjoyed by your large following. We believe in you to do right, and thus far we have had few disappointments. No. 5 Brandon, Minn, IFE is like a little old gentleman, born a good many years ago in aristocratic surroundings, carefully reared according to tradition and sheltered as much as possible from contact with the vulgar realities. He has naturally a good understanding, a quick and kindly wit and the clear appreciation of human frailty which comes of grace and cannot be inculcated. In dealing with politics, literature, the drama, and art he holds his own with any one. But he was reared in careful ignorance of science, came to believe that things were so because they were so and that received MAN AND WIFE “BE GLAD YE'RE NOTHIN’ BUT A WEAK FOOL wot IF YER WAS A MAN I'D BREAK IVERY BONE IN YER BODY, “FERGIT IT. COME ON,” comichooks.com