Life, 1917-01-25 · page 25 of 40
Life — January 25, 1917 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page satirizes American youth entitlement and the gap between democratic ideals and workplace reality. **The Main Cartoon:** A young man named Arthur approaches his boss requesting summers off and a shortened workweek, arguing that the American education system teaches exactly this schedule—weekends free, summers off, half-days—so why shouldn't work follow the same pattern? **The Satire:** Arthur weaponizes democratic principles and civics-class rhetoric against his boss, exposing the hypocrisy: if the government endorses this lifestyle for children, why is it irresponsible for adults? The joke hinges on Arthur's audacious logic and his shameless exit to collect his father's allowance. **Social Context:** This mocks privileged youth who absorb entitlement from their schooling and family wealth, and critiques how American education may fail to instill actual work discipline. The "Last Resorts" sidebar lists society's escapes from responsibility—suggesting widespread dissatisfaction with obligation. The cartoon reflects early 20th-century anxieties about generational character and work ethic.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
in June, coming back in September very much refreshed?” “Young man,” said the manager se- verely, “what do you think we are? Don't you know that the whole country would stop if we did things that way? It's astonishing that any American boy should entertain such a view.” But Arthur was nobody's fool ; his long social career had given him savoir faire; besides, he really knew what he was talk- ing about. “Not so, sir,” he responded blithely. “You have the utmost respect for our system of government, I presume?” “T have.” “A remarkably effective democracy, sir; one of which we are all proud; I know something about it, as I was in a civics class once for a short term, and “Is THE Boss IN?” “DOES IT LOOK LIKE THE BOSS WAS IN?” we read at least halfway through a text book; well, sir, here's the point.” Arthur looked at the manager so haughtily that that gentleman uncon- sciously winced with chagrin. . “The point is, that our government fits us school ¢hildren for the business of life, from the time we are five until we are graduated from its school system, by precisely the methods I have just de- scribed. Having acquired the habit of not working on Saturday, of going away all summer, of knocking off at three- thirty, and of doing my work only at certain periods, all of this being pre- scribed and backed up by the state, why, sir, should you presume to say I am wrong, when I have the government dis- tinctly back of me? Are you not thor- oughly ashamed of yourself?” So saying, Arthur lighted a cigarette, and walked leisurely away to his father’s office to get his next month’s allowance, leaving the discomfited manager to his own patriotic reflections. Last Resorts Domestic cigars. The horse cab, The opera. The “ needle.” The cabaret. The solitaire puzzle. The park bench. The morgue. The dime novel. The “curb.” Blackwell's Island. Marriage. comicbooks.com