Life, 1919-12-18 · page 14 of 56
Life — December 18, 1919 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces: **"An Unpleasant Alternative"** (left column): A publisher's note explaining why *Life* magazine is omitting its December 11th issue due to a printers' union strike. The text assures subscribers they'll receive full compensation—every subscription will be extended one week. **Two cartoon illustrations with accompanying text:** 1. **"Taking Father's Place"**: Shows a man with facial hair (possibly a caricature) meeting children, with dialogue about whiskers. The joke appears to satirize masculine appearance or paternity concerns. 2. **Lower cartoon**: Depicts a courtroom scene titled about "Mrs. Lawless, Henry" and a milliner suing over a bill for a gown. This is social satire about petty legal disputes and household economics—likely mocking frivolous lawsuits or marital financial conflicts. The page reflects early 20th-century class tensions, gender dynamics, and labor disputes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1008 An Unpleasant Alternative IFE has done the very best it could to fulfill its obligations in spite of all the obstacles thrown in its way by the unreasonable and unjustifiable strike of the union printers. In the embarrassing conditions we have found it impossible to deliver Lire as regularly as usual Tt is difficult to co-ordinate the processes of type-setting, engrav- ing, electrotyping, printing, bind- ing and mailing without serious loss of time. This has served to put the actual publication so far behind the date carried by the printed paper that we have de- cided to gain contemporary value by omitting the issue of Lire for December rith. Our subscribers will lose noth- ing by this method of readjust- ment. Every subscription will be extended one week, so that all subscribers will receive the full number of copies for which they have paid. Right here Lire wishes to ex- tend to both its readers and ad- vertisers an expression of its thorough appreciation of — the loyalty they have manifested in various They evidently have sensed the fact that this is a time when Americans have got to stand together for the preser- vation of American institutions. ways. Just the Thing A LONDON servant girl, Jessie Stephens, announces her intention to run for election to Parliament, and It used fashion in democracies to here’s hoping she makes good. to be the single out the best lawyers and elect them soon the discovered their mistake and entrusted the affairs of state to the second- and third-rate lawyers, thus enabling the first-rate lawyers to resume private to office, but voters Katie: practice and place their valued profes- sional services at the disposal of all. Let the cooks and waitresses get into politics and the servant problem will adjust itself in the same satisfactory way. The good cooks will eventually be defeated by the bad ones, and then there will he nothing for the good TAKING FATHER'S PLACE SURE, MUM! THE KIDS WILL NIVE WHEN 1 GET THESE WH OW OME FROM THEIR DADDY ERS ON! cooks to do but to return to their kitchens. Quod crat desideratum. “QEE here! That scandal you pub- lished about me in yesterday's pa- per isn’t true.” “Be patient. It time.” will be. Give it “THERE'S MRS, LAWLESS, HENRY. WEARING A GOWN SHE SMUGGLED IN LAST MONTH, AND THE MILLINER IS SUING HER ON THE BILL FOR THAT HAT” comicbooks.comm