Life, 1920-01-22 · page 10 of 36
Life — January 22, 1920 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains "Some Open Letters" — a satirical advice column. The two illustrated cartoons are: 1. **"That Irresistible Impulse"** — depicts a man gesturing expressively, likely satirizing uncontrollable human behavior or impulses. 2. **"The Profiteer"** — shows a figure at a window, apparently commenting on wartime profiteering (the sketch credit reads "CESFULLER"). The letters address serious social issues: family welfare, labor-capital relations, and teacher salaries. The tone is sardonic — the magazine mocks both wealthy uncles reluctant to help relatives and employers exploiting workers while claiming class harmony is possible. The "Modern" section at bottom presents a brief comedic dialogue where a child questions his father about Spanish Inquisition torture methods versus modern entertainments, likely satirizing how contemporary amusements seem comparably barbaric to older forms of cruelty.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘“LIFE- Some Open Letters To Franklin D'Olier, EAR SIR: Raising a growing family is not only a complete occupation in itself, but an art beside which in spite of certain urbane intelligentsia—other arts fall to the rear, To promote good manners and unselfishness : to develop faith and tolerance toward the other members; to teach the little ones how to walk without becoming how- 1, and to eliminate politics—all this requires more Drains; it requires spirit. As the head of that interesting family group, the American Legion, you are concerned cnough about the material welfare of those com- mitted to your charge to wish that they may be duly re- warded by a wealthy, if somewhat irresponsible uncle. Be careful, sir, to separate this proper desire from others more unworthy which may easily follow in its train. With best wishes for your success, Cordially yours, Lirt William M. Wood. D' AR SIR \s president of the American Woolen Company, your efforts to reduce the cost of living among your employees, by housing and otherwise treating them like human beings, excites my interest and curiosity Can it be possible, sir, that you are one of those rare gen- tlemen who believe that the standpoints of Labor and Capital are essentially the same, and are actually ready to yut this iconoclastic theory into practice? Is it possible that you are indulging yourself in the revolutionary notion that by surrendering your overlordship over certain ma- THE PROFITEER terial possessions you can solve a hitherto insoluble prob- lem? To a Board of Education. Hopefully yours, Lire EAR BOARD: Standing as you do with reluctant feet between the taxpayers on the one side and the parents on the other, it is no doubt an affair of extreme delicacy to fix properly the salaries of the teachers under your jurisdiction. I have no doubt that you will agrec with me that an educational system already from per- fect should not have its impotence increased by inadequate service due to underpaid teachers. In this emergency | would suggest, first, that you consider that the boys whe were graduated from your schools in the past were the ones who helped to win the war; that in front of us whether there he war or peace, we shall have need of the best heads, and, if ye ave further doubts, that you call a meeting of citize You will be surprised, however how the bachelors will come forward and vote to pay our Ol teachers what they ouglit to receiv Practically yours, Lire Modern L' TTLE Willie had been reading about the Spanish In- quisition “Father,” he interrogated, looking up from his book, “we don't have instruments of torture nowadays, do we?” “Where do you get that stuff?" demanded father. “What's the matter with a jazz band, or a session of Con- THAT IRRESISTIBLE IMPULSE gress, or a speakers’ banquet?” comicbooks.com