Life, 1920-03-04 · page 22 of 78
Life — March 4, 1920 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page uses baseball as political allegory. The "Pitcher Burleson of the Cabineteers" article satirizes a failed government official—likely Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon or similar figure—by describing him as incompetent, unreliable, and unable to perform his duties despite high expectations. The "Cabineteers" clearly refers to President Hoover's Cabinet. The second section, "As to Rum," directly critiques Prohibition enforcement. It mocks the Springfield Republican newspaper and Hoover's absolutist approach, arguing that merely passing a law isn't sufficient—enforcement requires ongoing vigilance and careful regulation. The cartoons show a woman returning from a long trip (likely Europe, where alcohol remained legal) looking disheveled, and a fat man at a "Prosperity Revue," satirizing both the failure of Prohibition and the era's economic inequality. The satire suggests Prohibition is unenforceable and counterproductive without broader social reform.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE Spring Training Note T is rumored that Pitcher Burleson of the Cabine- teers is to be given his unconditional release by Manager Wilson, who is strengthening his aggrega- tion for the pennant race this fall, This move has long been expected by those who have watched the performance of this highly touted player. He was drafted from the Southern League, but after a thor- ough try-out, covering several seasons, has effec- tively demonstrated that he is not big-league timber. In the responsible position that he held with the Cabineteers, Southpaw Burleson proved a flat failure. His delivery has al- ways been extremely erratic, with speed totally lacking, and his “special” has be- come a standing joke. In fact, his only standby seemed to be an exasperating slow delivery It is recognized that his balks and the faux-passes he issued have been a detriment not only to the Cabineteers, but to the entire national organization. Burle- son never was able to field his position satisfactorily, and his batting average while with the Cabinetcers has hung around .038. Whatever showing this aggregation has made has always been due to close team work and the indi- vidual efficiency of the other members However, Burleson has always been well-meaning, beyond a doubt, and has kept his temper well in the face of many newspaper jibes. In one way, in fact, he has been quite an asset, for his clowning tactics have afforded di- version to the spectators during many a crisis, As to Rum ONSIDERING its merits as .a newspaper, the Springfield Repuh- lican is, and long has been, mighty queer about Prohibition, It be WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT AFTER SUCH A LONG TRIP? World: &x—But you Don't Look A BIT LIKE your Picture! but whole hog. For example, it says: it we want a far better contro! and Mr. Hoover's attitude on Prohibi- regulation and use of intoxicants than tion ought to be easily assumed we had up te 1920. We don’t want the as any man’s; there is nothing to do liquor and saloon interests to exploit but to enforce the law. the people. Having got the control of Why, bless you! there is lots more intoxicants away from them, we want than that to do. The law can’t last— to keep it out of their hands and have must not be allowed to last. It’s bad. it absolutely in the interest of society. The thing to do is to contrive that Of course that is a difficult matter. AT THE PROSPERITY REVUE when rum comes back it may come on Let us watch England. She has been Fot/Sfan: savt \vsvousson'r:gum © better basis than before it departed. drinking much too much these many YOU COULD SEE THIS SHOW, I'LL We don’t want all this present incon- years. Let us see if she can curb her HAVE YOU THROWN oUt! venience for nothing. In payment for national excess, and if so, how. comicbooks.com