Life, 1918-02-28 · page 17 of 40
Life — February 28, 1918 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct satirical pieces from Life magazine: **"The Old Oaken Bucket"** depicts a married couple named Mr. and Mrs. Romanoff—Russian names used satirically. Mr. Romanoff is a lazy, unemployed man who blames his joblessness on bad luck and his "obsolete trade," while his exasperated wife does housework and suggests he find work in an ammunition factory. The satire mocks working-class men who shirk domestic and wage-earning responsibilities, blaming fate rather than effort. His repeated reference to "czaring" suggests he's a Russian émigré, adding immigrant-stereotype humor. **"Why Stop?"** critiques the logic of Prohibition by sarcastically proposing other activities the government might ban—from spaghetti to short skirts. The final line, "Prohibition of prohibition?" poses the ultimate logical absurdity. This piece opposes Prohibition's passage (evidently recent when published), questioning why alcoholic beverages specifically warrant banning when other "vices" don't. Both pieces reflect post-WWI American anxieties: economic instability, gender roles, immigration, and government overreach.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE OLD OAKEN BUCKET RS. ROMANOFF: Have you chopped up that wood yet? Mr. Romanorr: Haven't I been making a path in the snow? I can’t be everywhere. Mrs. RomanorF: You can’t be every- where! Well, if you were half a man you would not only do your work, but you would be helping me with the dishes also. RomanorF: What do I do now? I make the fire in the morning, tend the furnace, keep the walks clean, bring in the wood, sweep and dust, and all you do is to cook and make the beds. Mrs. RoMANOFF: little pleasure. RomanorF: Pleasure! I know you. You'd like to spend your time at the movies. Al- ways complaining. Mrs. RomanorF: I blame myself. I thought when I married you you would be able to support me. I see I was mistaken, RomanorF: Now, Alexandra, don't get started on that strain. You know perfectly well that czaring never was certain. When .I was at it I never was employed more than two or three months during the year. It isn’t my fault- sky that I was fired. Some of those fellows in the palace had it in for me from the start. Mrs. RoMANOFF: Well, if you was half a man, you'd get busy and take a position doing something. Why I don’t care. I want a All in a Day's Work 337 A Declaration of Magnanimity H events, it becomes necessary for the administration to issue another Liberty Loan, and to solicit Americans that quantum of financial aid which the love of country and humanity may prompt them to offer, a decent appreciation of the greater sac- in the course of martial from rifices that others are making requires that everybody respond without hesi- tation, stint, complaint or exaggerated idea of his or her nobility in so do- ing. couldn't you get a job in an ammunition factory? I hear they pay well, Romanorr: They've stopped making am- munition. They never did make much any- way. Mrs. Romanorr: Then there isn’t a thing you can do. You can't make fifteen a week now, can you? Romanorr: I’ve got to consider my healthsky, haven't 1? This housework takes all my time. Mrs. Romanorr: Well, it’s no use! I shall have to open up a boarding-house, while you sit on the back porch smoking a corn-cob pipe and peeling potatoes. I was afraid it would come to this. RomanorF (as his wife disappears and he settles down to a few moments’ siesta): Well, it ain't my faultsky, it’s just hard luck. It all comes from my learning an obsolete trade. Why Stop? yF national prohibition of alcoholic bever- ages becomes a law, why not Prohibition of perfume? Prohibition of spaghetti eating? Prohibition of midnight singing? ition of three-legged races? tion of gambling? Prohibition of automobiling? Prohibition of vivisection? Prohibition of musical shows? Prohibition of bargain sales? Prohibition of chain letters? Prohibition of Hearstism? Prohibition of short skirts? Prohibition of prohibition? comicbooks.com