Life, 1917-02-15 · page 8 of 42
Life — February 15, 1917 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains two satirical pieces: **"Prepared"** (dialogue at bottom left) mocks upper-class fashion discussions. Elmer and Hubert debate outfit choices using affected language ("passionate discussion of dress"), while an "Electrical Curtain" joke by Kenneth L. Roberts follows. **"Victory"** (upper right) is political satire on wartime economics. A "famous food expert" argues that eating slowly reduces food consumption and household expenses—a cost-of-living concern during what appears to be WWI. The expert cynically suggests that only farmers in the Middle West will prosper enough to afford "the golden table," implying ordinary citizens will struggle. The illustration (top) depicts well-dressed figures in conversation, supporting the fashion-focused satire below. **Overall theme:** Class-based humor mocking both frivolous fashion concerns and hollow wartime economic advice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PREPARED the purple revers and the magenta trousers. What are you going to wear, dear? Etmer: Well, I don't. know. I was thinking of wearing my green crepe de chine with the yellow fishtails. (Fourteen minutes are devoted to a passionate discus- sion of dress.) Husert (reluctantly): Well, good-bye, dear. Eumer (equally reluctantly): Good-bye, dear. Run over soon and let’s have a real talk, Exectrican Curtain Kenneth L. Roberts. ATHER: Well, Julia, if I allow young Smithers to be- come my son-in-law, do you suppose he will be willing to work and support you? Jutta: Oh, papa, how can he when he has promised to do nothing but think of me all the time? FAMOUS food expert, waging relentless war against the high cost of living, captures some few yards of trench with these winged words: “Eat slowly, and you won't eat so much!” Beyond a doubt, if we cat slowly we shall live longer, and by that increase the sum total of expenditures; but, on the other hand, the longer. we live the more likely are we to fall upon happier times. The war will cease some day; some day the farmers of the Middle West, surfeited with prosperity, will vote the straight ticket and let the price of wheat go hang; and a few minutes more at the table may be just enough to carry us over into the golden 'HE only time two women are in perfect accord is when they hate the same people. comicbooks.com