Life, 1920-06-17 · page 18 of 45
Life — June 17, 1920 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
## "The President and His Cabinet" This cartoon mocks "popular government" by depicting the cabinet as a circus of vaudeville performers and celebrities (identifiable names reference silent-film stars like Mary Pickford and Santa Claus), suggesting the Harding administration treated governance as entertainment rather than serious policy. ## "Unfair Exchange" This satirizes American economic smugness post-WWI. European currencies have collapsed relative to the dollar, creating cheap exchange rates that should concern Americans—not amuse them. Baron Avezzano (Italian ambassador) warns that laughing at foreign poverty is foolish; weakened European economies can't buy American goods, ultimately harming U.S. trade and influence. The joke is on America's expense. ## "The Course of History" This ridicules hypocrisy: a manufacturer elected president of a "Boycott Germany for Twenty Years" society performs so well that they immediately elect him president of an organization resuming trade with Germany—exposing that boycotts are abandoned for profit.
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hve Rows Sec Prcieers dock Demproys Secretary of Peace ond Quel, Hengy Tord of Custard Comedy, Ben Torpins Beauty Expert, Irene Bordon; President. Santa Clavs; Secretary of Pollyonnas, Mary Pickford; Secretaries of Art and Humor, Mutt end deff; [Upper Row: Secretary of Fox Trotting, The Princes Executioner of Unfair Exchange "THERE used to be a great field for jokes in the relative values of Chinese and American money. Whenever any mad-wag remarked that his laundry bill was “sixteen million yen three cents" he was certain to reduce his audi- ence to a state of uncontrollable merri- ment. In technical language, it fire stuff. At present the opportunity luips of this nature is.considerably lar s sure- for the exchange rates which yield five shillings, sixteen francs or twenty lira to the dollar make England, France and Ital, marks for the comedian’s slapsti musical revue or vaudeville sho . plete without ome inspired refe to the comatose condition of the pound ster- ling or the piastre or the kopeck This taste in jokes does not s to Baron Avezzano, the Italian dor at Washington, who says: “The public thinks the la tirely on their side. But is it so? Is it really to your advantage to leave this great lack of equilibrium to he corrected, as it will be, only by the loss of your trade, -by the fading of your influence in the markets of Europe and other coun- tries?” Of course he’s right. So lo: rates of exchange are seriously them, European countries cannot afford to trade with us. The laughter is at our expense Next of Kin WORKER in one of the Frane THE PRESIDENT AND HIS CARINET-—WHEN PUPULAR GOVEKN MENT IS REALLY POPULAL Proverbs—1920 Model A 3IRD in the hand is worth money these days. A fool and his money are soon parted by the profiteer. A rolling stone pays no excess-profits tax If wings made angels we'd all buy aeroplanes. There’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the repeal of the Lighteenth Amendment. Whom the gods would destrey they first make President of Mexico. The Course of History ILL Who is that fellow over there? Gini That is our leading manufacturer, Henry Grah- cash. A year ago we elected him president of the Suciety to Boycott Germany for Twenty Years. Wits: Did he prove himself capable? Guu You bet. He gave such satisfaction that we have elected him*president of our new Organization for the Resump- tion of Trade with Germany. ap nineteenth hole is on a par with the Eighteenth Amend- ment. American factories in] New Yor endeavoring to impress upon the new citizens-to-be, children of the forcig horn, asked her class to define relatives. One youngster, bolder than the others, spoke up: “ Kelatives are the people what eat offen you.” “Gee, jIMMIE! PIPE DE NEW DANCE sTEP!” comicbooks.com