Life, 1920-01-01 · page 20 of 48
Life — January 1, 1920 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces of social commentary: **"The Religion of Pleasure"** section satirizes moral rigidity and hypocrisy. It mocks those who condemn pleasure-seeking as sinful while supporting a more tolerant, modern worldview. The piece argues that denying simple pleasures (theater, athletics, modest dining) is unnecessarily austere and that measured enjoyment contributes to mental health and family happiness. The reference to a New York magistrate sentencing a "theatrical speculator" suggests real legal cases where entertainment was prosecuted as vice. **The accompanying illustration** of cats appears to caption a humorous line: "I suppose the next thing they'll prohibit cats!" — suggesting absurdist escalation of moral policing. **"The New Geology"** (bottom) is an unrelated poem about discovering minerals in a cellar, likely whimsical filler. The overall tone reflects early 20th-century progressive debates about Puritanism versus modern pleasures, urban morality, and changing social standards.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ember that you are not wn money, not ound the he will make father cheerfu that he is half 1, besid t discreetly uuple of suits ction, Tha ised to it t reckless, and You will be t the result Father's moral nature, if he has any left, will be greatly improved. Mother nl the girls will begin to respect him He will even hegin to respect himself \nd in due time he will get to be fairly co mable. And you will actually ad that he is a part of your own home lif home life The Religion of Pleasure HE New York ite who an- nounced after ser rical speculator that lusury, but come t Measure h There is always a sect or world that would hottle ter and gaiety of the people m pleasure is a cosmic blun 1 human crime, They would ve us forever sitting like our ances- carved in alabaster—mewed in a doin ind black hoy who gamble theatre, the little wine supper for s rtant to the hy MiBIY CATNIG welfare of the s pleasures Ages who nd spirit n all the sermons ever preached Measure is cleanliness of mind. It at next to godliness; it is a veri table attri The New Geology AWN in my cellar Hye a mine there comicbooks.com \