Life, 1919-09-04 · page 27 of 48
Life — September 4, 1919 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes early 20th-century American social and political issues through multiple cartoon vignettes: **Top cartoon**: "The Prince of Wales Arrives" shows officials scrambling with a welcome program—likely mocking excessive preparation for royal visits. **Center**: A large figure labeled "GREED" rides a bomb toward "Federal Prosecution," captioning "Whatever Goes Up Is Sure to Come Down"—warning that unchecked greed faces legal consequences. **Lower cartoons** reference contemporary anxieties: "Gone Daffy" shows people obsessing over tobacco, golf, and other pastimes; "It Is a Wise Father" and "The Land of the Free" appear to critique social inequality and injustice; "The Woful Waiter" depicts economic hardship among working people. The overall theme condemns greed, frivolous excess among the wealthy, and the suffering of ordinary Americans—reflecting Progressive Era concerns about corporate malfeasance and social inequality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WE PUTIN HIS THUMB, AND PULLED OUT A PLUMB. pow witht SUNDAY Sour! f Down WITH os WAopines® J GONE DAFFY, Per Bint as FROM Tae ps AINT mma y USED TO 8F pais 5 S ‘nthe THE LAND OF THE FREE ‘h ANT PROFITELRING. THE WOFUL WAITER RAILS HS PLAINTIVE SONG. comicbooks.com