Life, 1919-07-24 · page 30 of 40
Life — July 24, 1919 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three mock "open letters" from Life's editor satirizing prominent figures of the era: **Bernard Shaw**: The letter chides the Irish playwright for claiming superiority to Shakespeare and criticizing British social institutions. The satire suggests Shaw was tolerated as an entertainer until he made serious anti-war statements—then the public stopped finding him amusing and abandoned him. **Ole Hanson**: A Pacific Coast politician praised for his entertainment value but cautioned not to overstay his welcome. **Reverend John Haynes Holmes**: Criticized for publicly abandoning the Unitarian Church to start his own congregation based on secular principles. Life mocks that other churches have operated without God quietly—Holmes's mistake was advertising it openly. The bottom cartoons—"The Missing Groom" (Cause and Effect)—show a car speeding away causing a wedding disruption, likely referencing wartime bride-and-groom separations. The overall tone suggests Life was skeptical of public figures who abandoned convention or spoke radical truths aloud.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE- Some Open Letters To Bernard Shaw. EAR MR. SHAW: mention your name in polite society, yet I cannot refrain from expressing my regret that since you have eliminated yourself by being turned down by the British public and taken up by the Hearst papers, we should miss so much of you that was well worth while. You had come to be one of our most popular intellectual amusements, this being greatly strengthened by the fact that some people took you seriously, apparently forgetting that you were not only an Irishman, but a professional humorist At the same time, Mr. Shaw, you have only yourself to blame. It is hardly good form now to When you seriously intimated that you were greater than Shakespeare, that British social conditions might be improved, that doctors were cruel and bishops were unintelligent, the British public naturally concluded that a new comedian had arrived, and fed you with gold and applause. But when, counting upon your justly earned reputation as a humorist, you tried to make fun of the war, they all took you seriously. From that moment you were lost. Regretfully yours, Lire. To the Hon. Ole Hanson D R MR. HANSON: I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed your being in the limelight. It is true that Heroland has been pretty crowded, but anyone from the Pacific Coast is always alluring to us Easterners, who are too likely to forget there is anything in between. But please, Mr. Hanson, don’t ask to come back too often. Your first act was immense. Your first encore we all heartily enjoyed. Come around some time next year, and we shall be delighted to see you again. Gratefully yours, Lire, To Reverend John Haynes Holmes. EAR SIR: the Unitarian Church because it was too religious, and have started one on your own account I notice that you have recently abandoned I feel com- led to tell you that I do not think you will succeed; not ASK HER WHO WON THE WAR because you are a pacifist or a defunct Unitarian, but for another simple reason, namely, because you have let the cat out of the bag. You must remember that your experiment is by no means a new one. Many churches have been runs cessfully without God or religion, but the man at the head has kept quiet about it. Mr. Holmes, this is one of those rare inst it doesn’t pay to advertise. ces where Sympathetically yours, — THE MISSING GROOM EFFECT comicbooks.co