Life, 1920-05-20 · page 29 of 48
Life — May 20, 1920 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page contains two distinct satirical pieces: **"Our Course in English"** mocks politicians through a mock-educational dialogue. The satire depicts politicians as vote-obsessed operators willing to do anything to please constituents—they're afraid of offending anyone because votes determine their survival. The humor lies in treating this cynical truth as if it's a simple English lesson for foreigners. **"Jimmy's Idea of the League of Nations"** cartoon (lower left) shows a figure labeled Jimmy proposing the League of Nations as a human pyramid—likely satirizing either unrealistic idealism about international cooperation or Jimmy's (unclear which public figure) naive approach to global governance. **"The Bereaved"** story depicts economic hardship during Prohibition-era America. A middle-class family progressively loses possessions and space as costs rise—servants leave, rent increases, Prohibition eliminates the cellarette. The satire is darkly comedic: despite losing everything tangible, Mrs. Blinkins insists they'll "feed our souls" with a tuning fork. The title "Bereaved" suggests mourning one's former life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Our Course in English rsations for the Benefit of Those Who sh to Obtain Quickly a Knowledge of Our Esteemed Language LO! (That is a word expressive of onder and sometimes of apprehension.) ocs a politician, What is he doing here? rything and everybody. rks like a fairly nice man. Is he always t makes you think a politician is always ce? Oh, no. Sometimes the politician is ressman, sometimes he is a Cabinet officer, o he may be a President. You cannot politician is counting votes. He is all for (An idiomatic expression significant of nitration.) the politician concentrates upon votes tes he lives. He will do anything for a man with a vote. And there is You cannot see it, but it is there. You vote. T might have a vote if I were an now what is the matter with the poli He is afraid. He is shaking. Yes, he tid Le has offended somebody, Ve must not let him get that way. We must our votes. tis what he is for, and what we are for hat (Expression significant of joy.) SING is still going on hecause it comes r the head of soft goods JIMMY'S IDEA OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS THEIR FIRST KADISII The Bereaved N the beginning, less than five years ago, the Blinkins family consisted of John, Sarah, his wife; Gladys and Gordon, the children; Aunt Hettic, a beloved dependent, and Pearline, the cook The cook went first. “I have been with you nine years,” she si “but I cannot stay unless you raise my wages from eight to twenty dol- lars a week.” The landlord raised the rent, and the family moved into smaller quarters “We must let you go, Aunt Hettic. We cannot afford the room you cupy.” he country went dry. A cozy and comforting cellarette followed Aunt Hettie and the cook. Again the landlord raised the rent “We will have to live in one room,” agreed the Blinkins, “ whieh means putting the children in an institution.” \ bookcase in the daytime became a bed at night; the dining-room table, when not used for that purpose, became a chair, but there was no way of utilizing the piano. » “TL cannot give it up,” sobbed Mrs. Blinkins “We must,” said her husband firmly, The piano went, and there appeared hanging from a nail on the wall a tuning fork. “We will continue to feed our souls,” said Mrs, Blinkins, “and a tuning fork takes up no room.” Books, pictures, bric-a-brac went; the clock was replaced by a wrist watch; the stove by a chafing dish; the dressing table by a vanity box The landlord again raised the rent. “We will have to move into a closet,” said Blinkins; “but,” looking on the bright side, “thank Heaven, we won't have to call for a mov- ing van.” comicbooks.com