Life — April 29, 1920 — page 25: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This single-panel cartoon depicts nine identical bulldogs in various poses, with text reading: "If the authorities had any sense of fairness they'd muzzle the fleas too." The cartoon is a satire on government regulation and fairness. The "authorities" muzzling dogs appears to reference laws restricting dogs (likely regarding dangerous breeds or public safety). The joke's point: if the government muzzles dogs for fairness/safety, they should also address fleas—a smaller but significant problem affecting dogs. The repetition of the same dog suggests the absurdity of singling out one problem while ignoring others. It criticizes selective or incomplete regulatory enforcement, implying that authorities are being hypocritical or illogical in their approach to public safety measures.