Life, 1920-08-12 · page 7 of 44
Life — August 12, 1920 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes Senator Harding and Governor Coolidge's use of phonographic recordings to disseminate campaign speeches, eliminating the need for extensive speaking tours. The top illustration spells "LIFE" using mermaid silhouettes, likely a magazine masthead or decorative header. The main cartoon depicts a domestic scene where a woman (labeled "Miss Sophy") explains her voting choice to onlookers. She humorously describes marking both Republican and Democratic ballots, then destroying one ballot—suggesting she couldn't decide between candidates based on their policies alone. Instead, she voted for the Republican candidate solely because he was "stunningly good-looking," implying women voters were superficial rather than politically informed. This reflects early 20th-century gender stereotypes about female voters.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ut ravi 600.0 FE Canned Oratory cided to use the phonograph as a medium for disseminat- ing their campaign propaganda, and a number of their speeches have already been retailed to the public through talk- ing machines (how appropriate!) in every city, town and hamlet from Marion, Ohio, to Northampton, Mass. It is a great scheme, and one which will undoubtedly be fol- lowed up by politicians everywhere. As soon as the scientists succeed in developing a phonograph that is capable of carrying a record larger—considerably larger—than the present twelve- inch limit, the campaign woes of the average candidate will be Sst HARDING and Governor Coolidge have de- practically eliminated. He will not have to swing around the country on tedious speechmaking tours, but will be able to sit at home on his front porch and talk the entire country to a standstill, if necessary. And think what such an innovation will mean to Congress! The senators and representatives will place recording instru- ments on their desks to catch every word that is said, so that, during the long, dull winter evenings, their constituents will be able to roll back the carpets, put the Congressional Record on the phonograph, and enjoy all the hardships of Washington life at home. [im NS fo) TT SSS “AND WHOM DID YOU VOTE FoR, Miss sopHY?” “WELL, YOU SEE, THE REPUBLICAN WAS SIMPLY STU CRAT HAD ALWAYS BEEN PERFECTLY SPLENDID TO HIS FAMIL' MY EYES, SHUFFLED THEM, PUT ONE IN THE BOX AND TORE UP THE OTHER, GLY GOOD-LOOKING, BUT THE DEMO- SO 1 MARKED BOTH BALLOTS, CLOSED NOTHING COULD BE FAIRER THAN THAT.” comicbooks.com