Life, 1918-10-24 · page 23 of 34
Life — October 24, 1918 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains multiple cartoons satirizing early 20th-century American bureaucratic inefficiency and waste. The main cartoon depicts various government institutions and organizations personified as characters competing over who wastes the most paper. The Banker, Congress, newspapers, and multiple government departments (Agricultural, Labor, Post Office, Bureau of Public Information) all boast about their wasteful practices. The Bureau of Public Information "wins" the competition, claiming superiority in waste production. The satire mocks government bloat and the proliferation of useless paperwork and propaganda. The top cartoon references religious control—suggesting even God cannot control all religions, implying government attempts at such control are futile. The "Nowadays" joke at bottom is a simple schoolroom gag where a student answers a geography question about climate zones with "wet and dry"—a child's crude oversimplification.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
States SUN SPOTS AND MORE COMING ALL THE TIME “TO you think that the government will ever control all the religions?” “Why, even the Almighty has never been able to do that.” Nurse: Do YOU WANT TO SEE ME FEED HIM, MASTER WILLIE? “Feep ‘1m! Hooray! To WHAT?” “VY/HO is wasting so much paper,” said the waste-basket petulantly, .” said the Banker, “Tam doing it with my useless pamphlets on finance. I am wasting paper.” Put me down also,” said the crank. “With my theo- on the universe, I am doing my share.” “Don't leave me out,” said the newspaper. “Tam using it up like water with my superfluous e¢ tions, my comic supplements, my glaring department-sto: : page advertise- ments. Iam squandering paper.” “Me, too!” said Congress. “With my Record and my franking privileges and my endless drivel, | am wasting paper. “How about us?” cried the Agricultural and Labor and Post Office Departments. “Don't forget us! We are just throwing paper away!” Then there was a general acclaim as the Bureau of Public Information stepped up while all looked abashed “Nobody can beat me at that game!” said the B. of P. 1. “Tam entitled to the Iron Cross!” Then the others threw up their hands. Nowadays EACHER (to geography class): How many zones are there? Well, Archibald? Puruw: Two—wet and dry! comicbooks.com