Life, 1919-12-04 · page 60 of 80
Life — December 4, 1919 — page 60: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mixes advertisements with social commentary typical of *Life* magazine's satirical approach. The main editorial piece, "Give Him a Chance," discusses charitable assistance for businessmen ruined by labor strikes and government action. The text reveals post-WWI American anxieties: wealthy industrialists who've lost fortunes are portrayed as sympathetic victims of "Bolsheviks" (Russian communists, feared during the Red Scare era). The satire is biting—the author sarcastically suggests these ruined businessmen might become "mine workers" or be hired to entertain visiting Bolsheviks, while dismissing them as otherwise worthless to society. The piece critiques both the fallen wealthy and the charitable impulse to help them, questioning whether the poor deserve assistance without "subjecting them to red tape." The advertisements—for Eno's fruit drink, Cortes cigars, motor robes, and Brad sport gloves—are typical period luxury goods, creating ironic contrast with the text's discussion of poverty and economic hardship.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“CHRISTMAS LIFE: ea hy The Ideal Winter Resort (Earness Line, Whitehat! PRINCESS HOTEL ° wenty e & Tworoger. Ma HOTEL FRASCATI $=; Frank J, Gray, Man: bers of societ so again. Why not give t for their lives and pu n on rations without subjecting them to th tape? The fact that a prosperous American likely, of course, to rob us of all con fidence in him. The poor wretch has nothing else to commend him, except the natural y we feel for an outcas: has been repudiated by the government, stripped bare by Congress, and as he is no longer able to pay anythi in the way of taxes, he is useless for any prac- tical purpose. To chloroform him might be expedient, but he would have to be buried, and that costs good moncy But the poor old business past be worth saving. At while we are finding out whether h ever be any good again, our charitable) institutions ought to waive formalities, and take the chance of handing him out a couple of loaves a week. To encourage him too much would, of course, be morally wrong. But if he can be kept alive for time, he may develop some sort of skill. He might be made over into a mine worker, or develop possibi ties as a member of a reception commit. » tee to entertain our Bolsheviks, who at present are so busy taking over the coun- try that they have no time for recreation. OF BRAINS IGARS Give Him a Chance Sport Gloves ING help out of any charitable make ideal Xmas Gifts. “MADE AT KEY WEST G institution at present is about as | This SPORTIF glove, much trouble as securing a passport or with removable, lon trying to discover the difference between wristed, knit-wool lining, is of oshable capital and labor. Men whose business cone that a wettind will rot has been ruined by strikes ought to have pe that @ wetting will not ruin. things made as easy for them as possible Men’s $7.00 Women’s $6.50. when they apply for help. They are tired Aish for Style Slips and Name of Nearest Di out. They have been put through such a grill by the Bolsheviks that they are RE. BRADFORD + 12 Burr Street wholly incapable of answering any more vEasyiita, New ‘Fore questions. They were once useful mem- comicbooks.comml