Life, 1917-06-07 · page 20 of 42
Life — June 7, 1917 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three separate satirical pieces from Life magazine (likely WWI-era): **Main Cartoon**: A poorly-dressed man with a broken plow watches wealthy people pass in a fancy carriage, saying he wishes he could "afford to be as useless as them folks." This satirizes class inequality and idleness among the wealthy. **"Problem of Rented Pews"**: Critiques churches charging for seating, which created class segregation—wealthy members got prime pews. The piece sarcastically suggests removing churches entirely if they won't offer free access. **"To the Middle West"**: Appears to mock rivalry between regions regarding WWI enlistments, suggesting the Midwest enlisted more than New York (which sent missionaries instead). **"Modern Suitor"**: A brief comedic exchange where a suitor asks a father for his daughter's hand; the father's response—"can you make her unhappy?"—jokes cynically about marriage expectations, inverting the romantic ideal. All pieces employ satirical humor to critique social issues: class pretension, religious hypocrisy, regional pride, and matrimonial pessimism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
wweoselleea N “Gos! I WISHT 1 COULD AF¢ORD TO BE AS USELESS AS THEM FOLKS!” The Problem of Rented Pews HY not have free church pews? Churches ought to be free. There is too much snobbishness and improper exclusiveness in rented pews—especial- ly where it would seem as if the rich- cst members of the congregation had the most favorably located pews. May- be for business reasons the churches could not be run if there were no rented pews. Bills have got to be paid. People connected with churches must live. Land is high, and living is ex- pensive. Then why not do away with churches altogether and worship on Sundays in banks and office buildings and the- atres? Then everybody could have a seat. HEN the details of this war have been verified and recorded, it is going to be established beyond all dis- pute that the Germans are the greatest woman-fighters known to history. To the Middle West IRS: In matter of enlistments you seen your duty and you done it, ahead of New York, who sent mis- sionaries to you, As a proof of the effcctiveness of missionary effort, can you beat that? ODERN SUITOR: daughter. Movern Fatuer: But, can you make her unhappy? I love your comicbooks.com