Life, 1919-02-06 · page 25 of 38
Life — February 6, 1919 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This play satirizes dystopian fears of excessive government regulation. Set in an imagined future American home, it depicts a family living under oppressive congressional control: children must be in bed by 9 p.m., games are banned, thoughts are monitored by a "Director of Public Morals," and even reading is censored by the Post Office. The satire's dark humor peaks when a government inspector arrives, prompting the family to violently attack him—described as their only "decent, moral emotion." The joke undercuts itself: the supposedly civilized state produces barbarism. The accompanying "Important Cablegram" from Wilson in Paris to "The American People" about checking on "the labor situation" likely references post-WWI labor unrest and socialist concerns, suggesting the cartoon equates government overreach with social chaos. This reflects 1920s anxieties about creeping authoritarianism and government intervention in daily life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VE: dn S mparatie ot seventeen yet. eh i? Reverting to Type (Under Government Control) American home of the Time Father, near future. evening, Persons: her, Daughter, Son. ati: What's on hand this even- Isn't there some kind of a game can play? OTHER all games are prohibited by Act Game! Are you aware Congress? Well, how about that bli in’s bluff? As I recollect it, it af. ded considerable exercise. Just it! gressional bulletin, we are not al- It increases Parner: Morier : According to our cdl to exercise unduly, circulation, and this leads to unholy oughts, Daventer: What are they? Sox: Sh! Remember that our con- tions are all reported to the Di- tor of Public Morals, Say, mother, wy I go out? Morner: Certainly not! According to con- You are gressional order No. 342.087, all youths under seventeen must be in bed not later than nine. Daucutex: We Mother, magazi lished Morner: Sh! might read aloud. wasn’t there a time when es and newspapers were pub- Here is expurgated classic number git, issued hy the Post Office Department. Fatuer (yawning) dear, but | think I shall go to bed. Mornex: You are not permitted to go to bed yet. re under fifty, and only people over fifty can go to bed before ten. Sox: Mother, is it true that people used to do as they pleased? Moturex: Yes, but that was before we were regenerated. Fatnre: That was the day, my son, when human beings had hearts and Excuse me, You souls and minds, and when they used their reason. Now all acts of reason are determined by Congress. ANY FANCY-DRESS AFFAIR 213 Daucuter: How curious! (Enter spector.) suddenly a government in- ixsrecrox: Your conversation has heen overheard. It the State Sox (sehispering is dangerous to to daughter) I have a strange new impulse. Let's kill him. Daventer I Give the cue to father and mother (They suddenty all jump on th ector and beat him slowly to death.) Hoora feel the same way Farner Motnek: Gi Daveutrr 1 fun! Never had such a good time! FATHER die for this, but it is certainly worth it My children, we shall all It is the only decent, moral emotion any of us has ever had! An Important Cablegram Witson, Paris LEASE hurry home and look into the labor situation. Tue American Prortr. comicbooks.com