Life, 1919-05-15 · page 30 of 50
Life — May 15, 1919 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct pieces of social commentary: **"Ignorance" (main article):** Advocates for Massachusetts legislation banning trained animals in entertainment. The text argues audiences don't realize the systematic cruelty required to train animals to perform tricks, and that public ignorance enables this abuse. It mentions the Jack London Club's efforts to raise awareness—London was a prominent animal-welfare advocate of the era. **"Cheer Up, Old Man!" cartoon:** A rejected suitor complains that his previous girlfriend took all his money (his "bait"), making future romantic prospects financially impossible. It's a simple romantic humor joke about financial ruin from dating. **"A Valid Reason" cartoon:** A poorly-dressed man buys ill-fitting clothes deliberately, explaining he was a soldier and fears properly-fitted clothes would make him homesick. The humor derives from his unusual logic and apparent poverty or eccentricity post-military service. The page reflects early 20th-century concerns: animal welfare advocacy, romantic courtship anxieties, and the social reintegration of veterans.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ERR Ignorance ASSACHUSETTS appears to be the only state where an effort is being made to stop the exhi- hition of trained animals. A bill is now before the Massachusetts Legislature to “make it unlawful to cause any -lumb animal to perform any. trick or feat as a part of the performance at any the- atre or other place of public amusement or en- tertainment.” The great majority of the American people are extremely sensitive to the st mals. An ill-treated horse on a street bre instant champions The reason why animals are exploited for stage purposes is due to the wide- spread ignorance with regard to their treatment Audiences see only the results, which are fre- quently astonishing. They do not realize the persistent cruelty that almost invariably precedes the re- sults. [tis generally true that no animal can be taught to do tricks without cruelty, carried out he forchand with a fiendish disregard for the animal. At the hase is the commercial instinct. It is all very horrible when the facts come out; and now the “1 guilty. The cruelty in trainin done in secret. The courts ignore this, hecause public opinion has not yet been sufficiently aroused. It is a slow business to get the facts before the public, but it is ing done through the Jack London Club, which already has a membership of thirty thousand, and is rapidly in- creasing “CHEER UP, OLD MAN! THERE'S OTHER FISIUIN THE SEA.” Rejected Suitor: Ves, BUT THE LAST ONE TOOK ALLL MY BA A Valid Reason KATHER plainly dressed young man went into a nishing goods store and asked to see a suit ef clot! “Oh, don't bother about fitting it, just wrap it up as it is and, by the way, put ina hat.” “What size, please "Any old number around seven will do.” “Any shirts ventured the clerk, wonderingly selectit a hat “Yep. throw in three or four, and don't mind the siz ior | was a private in the A for over a year, and I’) afraid if [T get any duds to fit me now I won't feel home,” said the former soldier : HAT is heredity Mrs. Sububs JOUN, You'LL WAVE TO TAKE BREAKFAST UP Something a father believes in until his son start TO THE COOK THIS MORNING, SHE'S INDISPUSED to act like a fool! comicbooks.com