Life, 1919-02-06 · page 16 of 38
Life — February 6, 1919 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical story mocks authoritarian governance disguised as public benefit. A Grand Commissioner implements a law requiring all orators to wear muzzles, with violators jailed and fined. The cynical twist: citizens celebrate the silence, real estate values rise, and the commissioner profits from licensing fees—revealing that silencing free speech actually serves corrupt officials' financial interests. The phrase "there would then be too much silence" signals the satire: the commander recognizes the absurdity but proceeds anyway. The original proposer is exiled as an editorial writer to ensure secrecy, a dark joke about suppressing dissent. This critiques early-20th-century political corruption and censorship—how unpopular policies benefit elites while masses unknowingly accept oppression. The "Arabian Nights" framing emphasizes the tale's fantastical yet pointed commentary on American democratic institutions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Modern Arabian Nights The Muczzled Orators H, Commander of the Faithful, | was Grand Commissioner of the Port of New Demosville at the time. And a man approached me one morn ing and said : ‘T have a wonderful scheme. Make a law and muzzle all the orators, and every orator who is caught without muzzle is to be thrown into jail and fined a hundred dollars.” “Sir.” I said, “there would then be too much silence.” And he looked at me knowingly, and said: “Can there be I thereupon issued the order, and the people being delighted, every orator in town appeared with a muzzle. Ina few days all the citizens came and blessed me for having thought of such a grand idea. The price of real estate rose, and my perquisites from the new license bureau were enough to enable me to maintain another family; had I the de- sire, As for the man who gave me the idea, T sent him to the Island for six months, and, in order that he might not give the secret away, got him a joh as an qditorial writer on a metropolitan paper. He will never be heard from again. The credit belongs to me. SAVING is a habit; extravagance, an art. ABDICATION OF By the Marne OPPIES of France. the springtime vigil keeping Year after peaceful year, as decades go Over the fields where our brave dead are sleeping There by the river where they stopped the foc Poppies of France, your heauty takes new glory No more shall you bespeak fe fulness ; Life is your token, and their heroic story Shall live forever in the lands they bless. SETTING THE FASHION Y. B. Dapoe. OKMS ARE QUITE PASSE, MY DEARS. comicbooks.com