Life, 1920-01-22 · page 14 of 36
Life — January 22, 1920 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces. The poem "For Service" by Berton Braley celebrates engineering and infrastructure work over mere moneymaking—advocating that engineers pursue meaningful labor rather than wealth. The illustration below depicts "an eminent financier" discovering his son cheated a playmate out of four cents—a commentary on inherited dishonesty and moral corruption among the wealthy class. "Famine Sufferers" references Petrograd's (Leningrad's) fuel crisis, where wood and ships are being burned for warmth due to extreme demand—suggesting societal breakdown. "The Light Fantastic" is a humorous dialogue between Clements (returned from China) and Bill about dancing without shoes—light domestic humor. The bottom cartoon, "Here's How," depicts older men acquiring "the candy habit," likely joking about Prohibition-era substitutes for alcohol.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
142 For Service H, it isn't for the money and it isn’t for the fame, And it isn't for the plaudits or the cheers. Rut .for joy that’s in the working. and for fun that’s in the game That we've taken up the trade of Engineers. We may camouflage ideals with some babble—mostly Of our wish to mount the money-temple’s stairs But when it comes to cases we don't For the millions of a dozen millionaires a tinker’s dam We don’t pose as brave crusaders, but we certainly crusade In an everlasting fight with mother earth ; Every bridge that we have builded, every tunnel we have Every line that belts the planetary Is a monument of struggle for the betterment of ian And we did it, as we do it, and we will, By the urge of what's inside us, by the spirit of our c And it's something more than money pays the bi Though we like our share of treasure and the pleasure that it ES, It is something else which drives us to our goal ; It’s the triumph of our labor over elemental thi And the Vision which gives splendor to the whole. We are members of an order that is guided on by dreams By the voices of the vrophets and the seers, And unless you care for Service more than money-xetting schemes, You had better never join the Engineers! Rerton Bre PICTURE OF AN EMINENT FINANCIER ON LEARNING THAT HIS SON CHEATED A PLAYMATE OUT OF FOUR CENTS (Solo)—My country, ‘tis of thee, Sweet lind of robbery, Of thee I sir Famine Sufferers HAT are described as “extreme measures” are bein taken in Petrograd to meet the fuel famine. Wo: and ships are being burned to keep the people warny So great is the demand that the consumption of these com modities is now said to be second only to the consumption of wood alcohol by the famine-stricken citizens of the United States Who Knows But— HE National Marine League has announced a nautical exposition during the week of April 12th in order awaken interest in the American Merchant Marine. Some day someone may start something to create interest in poor old American consumer. The Light Fantastic MENTS (just returned from two years in China can’t go to the dance, Bill; T haven't any decent Birt: Man, man! our feet! You talk as if we still danced w OLD LOOZERS HAVE QUICKLY ACQUIRED THE CANDY HAwIT comicbooks.com