Life, 1919-12-18 · page 44 of 56
Life — December 18, 1919 — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1920s *Life* magazine feature satirizes prominent political and labor figures by assigning them famous literary titles—a joke about their public personas matching fictional archetypes. **The targets include:** - **Mayor Hylan** ("A Fool There Was")—New York's mayor, mocked as foolish - **Samuel Gompers** ("To Have and to Hold")—labor leader - **Leon Trotsky** ("The Wrecker")—the Russian revolutionary, sarcastically labeled a destructive force - **William Jennings Bryan** ("Paradise Lost")—three-time failed presidential candidate - **John D. Rockefeller** ("The Trimmed Lamp")—the oil magnate The joke equates these public figures with literary character types, suggesting their real-world actions mirror fictional narratives. The satire is particularly sharp regarding Trotsky, reflecting American anti-Bolshevik sentiment during the Red Scare period. The rest of the page contains standard travel advertising for Southern resort destinations—unrelated to the satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1038 New Authors for Old Fiction FOOL THERE WAS,” by Mayor Hylan. “To Have and to Hold,” by Samuel Gompers. “The Wrecker,” by Leon Trotzky. “Paradise Lost,” by William J Bryan. “The Trimmed Lamp.” Rockefeller. hy John D Sunn “Why the World Laughs,” by Char- lie Chaplin, in collaboration with Sec- retary Burleson. “ Strictly Business,” by Ole Hanson. “In His Steps,” by William G. Me- Adoo. “The Red-Headed League,” by Senator Lodge. “Comedy of Errors,” by Secretary Baker. South- unm South Outings Texas and its Gulf Coast- Louisiana- Hot Springs National Park- These favored resort regions attract those who seek winter away from winter There you may enjoy out-door sports There you may golf; and motor along drives bordered by magnolias and pines There you will find luxurious resort hotels k for booklets, “Hot Springs National Park.” ink thi e— Al and the Consolidated’ Ticket Ome or ade Administration, €46 Transportation Bid Healey Bldg. Atlanta, Ga. Pi “Texas Winter Resorts” and “Florida eave Indicate the places you wish to se en Toute, Untrep- Stares-RA Ratroap-A\ ADMINISTRATION: | | JT rev | London zy ton Herbert Tareyton London Smoking Mixta Sample upon request 3 | Falk Tobacco Co. Inc., 1786 Broadway, New! Comicbooks.com