Life — June 26, 1919 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This single-panel cartoon satirizes the exclusionary practices of women's social clubs. The caption identifies two women: Mrs. Short, who is seeking membership, and Mrs. Tallman, who intends to blackball (reject) her application. The humor derives from an ironic visual gag—Mrs. Short appears notably tall while Mrs. Tallman appears short, inverting their names. The crowded social gathering setting emphasizes the club's exclusivity and the arbitrary nature of membership decisions. The cartoon mocks both the pretentiousness of such organizations and the personal animosities that could determine acceptance, suggesting that club membership determinations were often based on individual whims rather than merit or fair criteria.