Life, 1919-06-12 · page 27 of 46
Life — June 12, 1919 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces from the post-WWI era (likely early 1920s): **"A Difficult Combination"** mocks the President (appears to be Woodrow Wilson) attempting to simultaneously maintain impeccable appearance while managing world affairs. The poem humorously presents dressing well and running the world as incompatible tasks, suggesting the President cannot do both effectively. **"An Absolute Necessity"** satirizes a taxation ruling on expensive corsets by arguing they're actually a necessity (not luxury) because husbands require their wives wear them. It's tongue-in-cheek social commentary on both fashion expectations and marital dynamics. **"Stick Around"** ironically recommends touring America's post-war failures instead of Europe: the failed "Fourteen Points" (Wilson's peace plan), Post Office bungling, congressional incompetence, Prohibition bootlegging, and League of Nations rejection—all contemporary political disappointments. The accompanying illustrations are genteel sketches typical of Life's satirical style. The humor relies on readers' familiarity with these specific post-war American political failures and social conventions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Difficult Combination best-dressed y at the Peace Confereni —N The President is the vs item JOW bring to me my pearl-gray spats, © trousers I love best, mg frock coat, my ascot tie, \ly spotless, braided vest; \nd bring me then my two-quart hat With brim austerely curled; 1043 “LIFE: An Absolute Necessity , THe corset, according to somebody's ruling, is under- wear, and therefore a luxury, and therefore taxable when it costs more t a certain amount something that can be got along without. A luxury is Women, no doubt, can get along without corsets; but no man is ing to be so reckless as to tell his womenfolk that y’ve got to get along without them. If a woman told a judge that her husband had told her that she would have to get along without corsets, the judge would cry in his ink-bottle and grant the decree at once. A corset may be a lux- ury for a woman; hut it’s a necessity for a woman's husband. that he provide them for his wife. Stick Around go to Europe this summer, It's absolutely necessary D°* See America first Examine the ruins of the Fourteen Points, Visit the Burleson Pyramid of Errors in any post office. Explore the minds of the new con- gressmen, Go slumming with hootleggers. Visit the League of Nations battle- field in Washington. Trolley out to the moonshiners. For I must be the best-dressed man And also run the world. To run the world would not, per se, Be very hard to do; And dressing well is next to naught When other tasks are few; But when one has to do them both! Ah me! and eke oh m ‘Tis hard indeed; but none can turn The trick as well as T! Kenneth L. Roberts. y, MARY, DID YOU PUT MY COOKING OUTFIT IN THAT BASKET? LL WANT TO FRY SOME FISH FOR LUNCH,” “YES, DEAR, AND YOU'LL FIND A TIN OF SARDINES IN THERE 100,” comicbooks.com