Life, 1919-07-10 · page 30 of 50
Life — July 10, 1919 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces from Life magazine: **"Again the Parable"** (top): A modern retelling of the Biblical Prodigal Son story. Instead of rushing to embrace his father, the returning son hides and sends a letter requesting clothes, shoes, and undergarments before facing him. The satire mocks wealthy young men who squander their fortunes and then shamefully return home asking for handouts—treating serious moral redemption as mere inconvenience while prioritizing material needs. **"That Income Tax: But Where Will It Stop?"** (bottom): The cartoon shows a man confronting multiple government tax windows (Federal, State, County, Municipal, Ward, Street, House). Each official demands payment. The satire expresses anxiety about the expanding income tax system—a then-newer form of taxation—suggesting it will proliferate endlessly across government levels, ultimately consuming all income. Both pieces express class anxiety and frustration with institutional systems of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
82 “abi B » Again the Parable HE Prodigal Son had returned. Instead of hastening ‘Eto the portals of the old homestead he halted in the shrubbery, thereby furnishing his father with no oppor- tunity to rush forth and fall on his neck. While sheltered in the foliage he engrossed the following message upon a 1 a compassionate emissary it was delivered into paternal hands: “Deak Oto Max: By this hastily executed communi- cation you may know that Lam back, I am alive to the fact that duty calls me to do some early prostration stuff on your forgiving bosom, but urgent matters anent the rhishing of my habiliment need serious tention ere I can take active participation in festivities connected witl | the slaughter of the f. “Lean be found in se, nd will be deeply grate i 1 pair of shoes. 1 can also make excellent use of under-apparel, if such garments be handy, and 2 you that a pair of trousers will be in no way amiss : \\ “Your Penttext Son “PL S—I still have a hat, I believe.” THAT INCOME TAX BUT WHERE WILL IT stor? comicbooks.com