Life, 1918-12-05 · page 67 of 76
Life — December 5, 1918 — page 67: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces: **Right side:** A Williams' Holder Top Shaving Stick advertisement showing the product's features and grip design. **Left side:** A satirical article titled "Keep It Dark" mocking British social refinement. The piece humorously warns that Britain has established a "school of politeness" for waiters, and expresses mock horror that this courtesy might spread to America. The satire suggests that American restaurant culture depends on waiters being rude and dismissive—that polite service would fundamentally undermine the dining experience. The author sarcastically fears politeness might even infect American offices, where office boys would stop putting their feet on desks and actually greet their bosses respectfully. The accompanying cartoon (left) depicts characters in various states of social disorder, supporting the theme of satirizing excessive formality and politeness as unwelcome social threats. This reflects early 20th-century American attitudes viewing British etiquette as stuffy and unnecessary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Williams Hdldér Top Shaving Stick Stick naa The Holder Top is a convenience at the start— a necessity at the finish HE last bit of Williams’ Holder Top Shaving Stick is just as efficient and Send 20, fn stamps fo trl sizes of just as easy to apply as the et ee eae ol set : fide which you preter” Or send Ge first. Solid comfort all the The J. B. WILLIAMS CO. : Book. as Claatnbury, Conn way—comfortinthe creamy, bey the cumtoing tach of Wiens? softening lather; comfort in Bie eg purr Ee . : Camsvsas Easis Life oF Rove. the wide, firm finger grip INFANT DAMNATION AND THE HIGHER . . . . cetricisst | into which the Stick is so firmly fastened that it never i e soldi loosens or falls out. fangecetes sae comforts behind, Ask for Williams’ Holder Top Shaving Stick—use the fullname—then you are sure ort withittothe of getting full satisfaction. 27 “""* but Williams’ Shaving Soap Keep It Dark [YiTH all the solemnity. that we ean summon for the occasion, we desire call attention to a grave danger that tow confronts us, and which comes, alas! carries its com- Tobacco Co, 1792 152 Broadway, NewYork. from no less a friend than Great Britain Little we thought that our great / would seek to undermine the very foun- dation of our existence. But we fear the fatal news is too true. It appears that the London Common Council has estab- lished a “school of politeness” for waiters, If this thing spreads to this country, what will be the result? At present, aside from the habitual pleasure of being robbed, how can anyone enjoy a meal in a city restaurant without the juxtaposi- tion of a haughty waiter who condesce a price, food which we formerly enjo: if waiters are going ness, where, we as! It is likely to steal into our he offices. Unless something is done to forestall this coming tide, the office boy of the near future, as the head of the firm enters, will take his feet down from the desk and, greeting him with a bright smile, bid him a hearty good morning. comicbooks.com