Life, 1919-06-26 · page 18 of 43
Life — June 26, 1919 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces from Life magazine: **"The Scheme"** mocks anarchist plots to destabilize America. An "head Anarch" proposes destroying the nation by eliminating bathtubs—a absurdist critique suggesting anarchists' plans are both sinister and laughably ineffective. The joke escalates when he realizes Americans will simply rebuild, then proposes infiltrating the War Department to sabotage production—satirizing fears of foreign agents undermining American institutions from within. The humor lies in the contradiction: a civilization supposedly threatened by bathtubs. **"To a Common Person"** is a sardonic open letter questioning an ordinary person's worth and original contribution to society. It catalogs their consumption, borrowed thoughts, and lack of utility—darkly comedic nihilism common in 1920s intellectual humor. The three medical cartoon panels use visual progression to show how a man's appearance changes based on his psychological state. The satire reflects post-WWI anxiety about radical foreign threats to American stability and capitalist values.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1126 The Scheme HE head Anarch moved uneasily in his chair To reduce the world to chaos,” he rauttéred, “is not so casy as one might ve supposed, considering that we had rmany back of us. The trouble is with America, and America has too many bath-tubs. If we can stop them from taking baths, it will he the beginning of the end. Congress will do the rest.” “ But even congressmen bathe,” sug- gested the private secretary. here seems to be something in the climate that makes them do it.” “We must look to American labor.” “But American labor bathes.” “There is then but one thing to do; buy up all the bath-tubs in| America through our sceret nts, and dump them into the ocean.” “Ah, but you forget that no sooner is this done, than the Americans will build another lot and install them.” The head Anarch smiled a crafty smile. “You do not know my resources The solution is casy. Look up the men in the American war department who 1 charge of the airplanes, and tell them to furnish the new bath-tubs, By the time they get started a new genera- tion will come and we shall be the glorious victors. HE BALD ONE: Have you any- thing that will grow hair? Tue Tonsoxiatist: My baby. He will, eventually. OVERROARD To a Common Person ZAR SII LT trust that you will pardon this inquiry. but IT am curious to know if you have ever thought about yourself? Have you ever honestly considered of what use you are? Your name is le; t for what pu pose do you exist? Have you ever had an original thought? Have vou ever contributed anything to the usefulness of humanity? Are your notions of beauty or art or literature worth while? Consider for a moment what you have already consumed. Since the day of your birth, the food you have caten would provide for a small army. In your yo many people toiled over you, and now look at yoursel/ Every thought that you have is borrowed from some one else. How many things can you do that are not con cerned with providing yourself with the means to exist? What difference would it make if you were not here? Trusting that you may possibly get some vague glimmer- ARE. AS YOU FEEL WHEN AND WHEN THEY THE INSURANCE FINALLY GIVE You ing of my motive in writing this, | am, DOCTOR HAS COM- THE POLICY AFTER Volts veey teil, PLETED HIS EXAM- ALL. a ee eee INATION, Tue Furcre comicbooks.com