Life, 1919-09-11 · page 18 of 48
Life — September 11, 1919 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes post-WWI American politics and social absurdities circa 1920. The "Washington News in Brief" mocks government overreach: a Supreme Court decision on laundry charges reflects bureaucratic triviality, while the fictional "Bum-Simp bill" parodies radical socialist legislation (likely referencing actual labor-movement proposals). The joke about the Lenin-Trotsky commission references Soviet diplomatic recognition efforts, treating American-Russian relations as laughably presumptuous. The beer reference (2.75-percent) alludes to Prohibition-era weak beer regulations. House-painters demanding 30-minute hours satirizes union demands perceived as excessive. "Some Dogs" is a whimsical poem comparing dogs to famous historical figures (Doctor Johnson, poet Burns, Confucius, Edgar Allan Poe)—intellectual humor unrelated to politics. The illustrations depict leisurely seaside scenes and a child at play—contrasting with the satirized bureaucratic chaos, emphasizing Life's mockery of government pretension versus ordinary American life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE- sian Commission sent here to investigate anarchy. A cablegram from the Lenine-Trotzky government, offer- ing sympathy and expressing confidence in the ability of the United States to recover its former place of respect among the nations, was received. It is understood the President was deeply moved. A group of house-painters from Tacoma, Wash., spent the day here seeing the sights, arranging for their annual increase in pay and filing notice of the thirty-minute hour. They were entertained at lunch- con by the President and the diplo- matic corps. The new scale of prices on muslin underwear will be announced by the President to-morrow. ODD (to Todd, lifting his glass of 2.75-per-cent. beer): Well— Unhappy days! Some Dogs OME Dogs, it strikes me now and then, Are plainly Transmigrated Men! The Bulldog, sternly planted there, Has much of Doctor Johnson's air; That Collie, fierce and gay by turns, Remarkably resembles Burns; The Chow who looks so deeply wise May be Confucius in disguise; And Puppy, with the eyes of woe, I think you're Edgar Allan Poe! Arthur Guiterman, Washington News in Brief \WASHINGTON, September 8.— A number of opinions were made public by the Supreme Court to-day Among them was the long-awaited de- cision in the laundry case, the Court holding that the Director General was within his rights in fixing the charge for washing flannelette nightgowns. This upsets prior interpretations of the post-war emergency act, and may even fead to an appeal of the famous cheese-sandwich suit. The Bum-Simp bill, which would compel the government to purchase all businesses and industries from their present owners with two-per-cent. bonds and turn them over to the pres- ent employees, was introduced to-d Its backers propose to force its im- mediate passage and compel the Presi- dent to sign it by threatening to vote the Republican ticket straight next year. The President announced a commit- tee for the reception of the All-Rus- sure o'cuock! comicbooks.com