Life, 1920-01-08 · page 26 of 44
Life — January 8, 1920 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on American society circa early 20th century. **"Is Humor Irreligious?"** discusses theology's apparent exclusion of humor—even the Greeks had gods for nearly everything but lacked a god of humor. The piece argues humorousness is highly valued among humans, yet theologians seem to have omitted it as a divine attribute, suggesting either an oversight or assumption that metaphysical speculation is inherently funny. **"Life's Little Candidacies"** satirizes newspaper editors' political priorities through a mock "candidate for President" platform. It lists self-serving demands: free postage, unlimited railway passes, cheap newsprint, censorship immunity, and a standardized libel law controlled by press attorneys—highlighting how special interests distort political discourse. The cartoon below shows a father presenting his daughter's bills to a prospective suitor as a financial warning. The joke's punchline—"he's been married before"—implies experienced husbands expect such expenses, mocking both female spending habits and marriage expectations of the era.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE Is Humor Irreligious? N exhaustive research of the voluminous writings on the subject of theology clearly reveals that if the gods have ever laughed at us poor mortals here below, the theologians have never found it out. Even the Greeks, who had a deity for almost everything conceivable, failed to provide a god of humor. It is true, they wandered far enough from the somber beaten paths to give us hus, but even that’ pleasure loving deity can only by a far stretch of the imagination be considered remotely related to humor Here on our planet men pride themselves upon, and are judged by, their sense of humor. They will admit to a dislike for literature, te a lack of an car for music, own up to almost any charge under the stn; but insinuate any man that the humorous lobe in his brain is in an undeveloped xe, and you have started trouble for yourself. Tt must be admitted, therefore, that men consider humor such a valu ANU EGGS NINETY-PIVE CENTS A be able asset to mankind that they rest the charge of a lack of it, or at least lack of an appreciation of it, Thus it must appear that the theolusians looked a good het when in their eff to invest the deity. or deities, with at- tractive qualities, they omitted humor. Can it be they felt that the results of metaphysical speculations — were humore enor in themselves ? LIFE’S Little Candidacies HE Newspaper Editors’ Candidate for President: He is for free po age for all publications: a revival of unlimited railway passes for publish relatives; a ed price of one cent a pound for newsprint delivered xuarantee against any censorships in all wars that may take place under the League of Nations; dismissal of all departmental and bureau propaxandists and abolition of all annual depart- mental reports; an extemporaneous five-hundred-word message to Con- gress, interspersed with jokes; a stand- ard libel law to he framed by a com- mittee of attorneys for the press. "PDOES your hushand expect you to " ., obey him?” NOW, YOUNG MAN, [ THINK 11'S ONLY FAIR TO LET YOU SEE MY DAUGH- ‘a 2 ‘ b TER'S BILLS FOR THE LAST YEAR, IF YOU STILL WANT TO MARRY HER AFTER- Oh, not He's been married be- WARDS, SHE’S yours” fore.” comicbooks.com