Life — March 6, 1919 — page 29: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This six-panel comic satirizes Prohibition enforcement. The title references "bone-dry" laws—strict alcohol prohibition statutes. The narrative follows a man attempting to hide liquor from authorities. Panel progression shows: him sneaking bottles past officials ("Must!"), running from enforcement ("Watch your step!"), hiding in a cellar ("Mom's the word"), discovering a secret speakeasy ("The counterspell"), and finally participating in a crowded underground drinking operation with barrels marked "XXX" (indicating illegal liquor). The satire mocks Prohibition's practical failure—despite strict laws, illegal alcohol production and consumption thrived through hidden speakeasies and underground networks. The "counterspell" reference suggests people found magical-seeming ways around enforcement, highlighting the law's ineffectiveness and the public's determination to circumvent it.