Life, 1919-09-25 · page 14 of 40
Life — September 25, 1919 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct satirical pieces: **"Politeness"** (top left): An essay by Ralph M. Thomson lamenting that modern society has abandoned old-fashioned civility and etiquette as outdated, questioning why contemporary people disregard politeness that previous generations valued. **"Another Suggestion"** (middle left): Commentary suggesting that English girls' beauty makes them ideal wives, recommending people gaze at busts of Ben Franklin to appreciate similar qualities—a humorous non sequitur. **"Post-Vacation Snapshots"** (bottom): Three captioned cartoons depicting common vacation-return experiences: fishermen exaggerating trout size, weeds overgrown during absence, and office work piled up. These are gentle, relatable humor about everyday life rather than political satire. The page reflects early 20th-century concerns about manners and leisure culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
540 Politeness ‘0 be polite, and to adore Civility in all who bore Themselves correctly, was esteemed A virtue that forever gleamed, By those who lived in days of yore. At least, it has been heretofore Thought just and proper to deplore Deportment that in no wise seemed To be polite But why should modern mortals pore Over the aims of ancient lore; Or pay to etiquette, long deemed A curse, an honor now blasphemed? It's not the fashion any more To be polite. Ralph M. Thomson Another Suggestion THE old theory that we tend to be- come more and more like that which we constantly contemplate has been often referred to in the case of husbands and wives who live together constantly. It seems to have a re- newed justification in the fact that English girls are growing more beau- tiful, the reason given being that they all go to the movies a great deal, and look upon the most beautiful types of women in the films. Such is the power of mental emulation that we are bound to take on the attributes of those we contemplate. Certainly, with such a practical demonstration before us, this idea should have a wide application. We recommend to A. S. Burleson that he immediately buy a bust of Ben Franklin and gaze at it for two or three hours a day, until improvement sets in. This could not possibly do anything to Ben Franklin, “FERRY THE WAY, MISS KOMNEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF BOLSHEVISM?” Post-Vacation Snapshots THE AVERAGE SIZE OF THE TROUT THE WEEDS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR ABSENCE THE RETURN TO THE OFFICE comicbooks.c@qaym