Life, 1919-01-30 · page 8 of 34
Life — January 30, 1919 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes King George V of Britain through a tongue-in-cheek article proposing he'd make an excellent addition to American society. The upper sketch shows two figures at a fence in rural America, illustrating the article's opening anecdote about George's modest, humble demeanor. The main cartoon below, titled "The Lass Who Loves an Aviator," depicts a young woman enthusiastically greeting an aviator while onlookers react with amusement. This appears unrelated to the King George discussion—likely a separate humorous feature about the contemporary fascination with early aviation. The "Why Not a King?" article critiques American social aspirations by ironically suggesting Britain's king would suit American needs, poking fun at American attitudes toward monarchy and class.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
us, however, who still believe that man ners and social functions are importa li we had a king who had nothing els to do but presid write on the typewriter, toss the ball to 1 dinners, play goli the catcher at the opening game of the season, preach idealism—whatever t is—and deliver felicitous speeche the unveiling of monuments, might he gained. He should be pai a large cnough salary to keep him ov mischief Who is competent? Mr. MeAdc would not be satisfied merely to lo: handsome. Mr. Daniels at the end « a week would be eating in the kitche with the head butler, with both arr nd the chef's neck. On the whole Mr. Taft would, we think, do pr well at it. He nanimity, and is fairly od looking discretion, NKS! THE FAKE COST HIM SIX DOLLARS AND EIGHTY CENTS, IE li he needed any coaching we fe LEFT A TEN-DOLLAR UMBRELLA ON THE TRAIN, HIS WIFE! IS RUINED, AND HE 1S GOING TO SPEND A WEEK WITH RELATIVES WHO ARE VEGETARIAN TE Why Not a King? is generally agreed that King Seorge is a great addition to the British Empire. \ recent description of His Majesty hy the editor of the San Francisco gonaut, who visited him on his premises, reveals him to he a homelike and gentle person with a’ sense of humor and an. off-hand, hail-fellow manner, utterly devoid of tation, We understand he reads Lire regu larly, yet, in spite of this fact, we are told that he is uniformly cheerful It would probably be unwise for us, as a people, slavishly to copy the habits of other nations. Yet it is true that we are now about to mingle more or less in their society, and would it not be well for us to look over some of their strong points and, with a certain dis- cretion, to make them tof our young life? If a King George is good for England, why not a king for us? The business of running the world is going to take up the time of our Presi- dent, more or less, We undoubtedly need somebody at a respectable salary to amuse the wealthy working classes. 11 short time our capitalists and leading business men will be reduced to penury, FORTY-DOLLAR HAT ¢ that King George would be will to give him a few lessons. f. £. and will go about in clothes of the vintage of 1913. There are a few of THE LASS WHO LOVES AN AVIATOR