Life, 1919-10-09 · page 16 of 48
Life — October 9, 1919 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1919 Life magazine page satirizes Boston's police strike and the broader American political climate. The main article criticizes Boston for its audacity in *supporting* its police who deserted their posts rather than accepting labor organizing demands—behavior the author finds dangerously principled. The cartoon at bottom ("A Pardonable Impulse") depicts celebratory figures holding signs reading "WE HAVE RENTED AN APARTMENT" and "WE HAVE SECURED THE LEAD HURRAH!"—likely celebrating housing or labor victories after the police strike created temporary lawlessness. The satirical point: the author fears Boston's example of civic resistance might inspire other Americans to reject labor pressure and political chaos, threatening the spread of Bolshevik (communist) influence in America. The "top cartoon about the stork mocking aviators wanting deliveries reflects broader anxiety about social disruption. This reflects post-WWI American fears about labor unrest and communist infiltration during the "Red Scare" period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Aviator: PARDON ME, MR. STORK, BUT THAT'S 1UST WHAT WE WANT AT OUR HOWS? What Is the Matter with Boston? HE few Americans who are left in the rest of the country, could their sentiments have been focussed down to a unit, must have felt a fine sense of dismay at Boston, Why should Boston, indeed which has been called a state of mind and which is more than half the time a state of political anarchy, have had the temerity to assert itself? How dare Boston, that home of high brows and Celtic roustabouts, express its shame over the fact that its policemen had duty and fined Solsheviki? » such example of obsolete deserted their posts themselves ujr with the patriotic stupidity has been AoW shown by other cities. Chi Philadelphia ring with obsequious deference. New York remains supine Jaams to its worships its twin deities, Hylan and Hearst, with becoming ritualism—yet the people of toston, through the still, small voice of what is left of their New England courage, notified their governor and their police com- missioner that, in spite of machine politics and the awful threat of labor, they would refuse to parley with the men who had “ys OUT OF PLACE “BUT WHY WON'T YOU LET MEIN? “VECAUSE IT WOULD BORE YOU HERE, THERE AkE NEITHEX MOTORS NOR MONEY, DINNERS NOR DANCES, FADS NOK FANCIES, AND NO FASHIONS TO FOLLOW—IN FACT, NOTHIN THAT WOULD APPEAL TO YOUR FASTIDIOUS TASTES.” played them false. There must, indeed, be something ve wrong with Boston. Boston, did you consider the effects of your example? Did you realize that, if this should spre there might possibly arise in this country a public spirit which would refuse to allow itself to be cowed by labor organized or unorganized? ‘The few Ameri left might, inspired by take heart, and cher ans who our coura ish the belief that, I, this country is not goi given over altogether to the Bolsheviki \ PARDONAILE IMPULSE comicbooks.cOmim