Life, 1920-09-16 · page 26 of 44
Life — September 16, 1920 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page satirizes the proliferation of new political parties and charismatic but vacuous campaign figures in early 20th-century America. The "Kickers' Party," presented as a genuine movement, is clearly a fictional parody. Beverly Binks—a caricatured demagogue—exemplifies the type: a bombastic orator who speaks for hours, appeals to working-class grievances, and makes grandiose promises (full cellars, cheaper clothes, better phone connections) without substance. The satire targets several things: the ease with which new parties form around personality rather than principle; the gap between flowery rhetoric and actual policy; and the public's susceptibility to manipulation. References to George Creel (WWI propagandist), Gompers (labor leader), and Bryan (populist) ground the mockery in real political figures and movements. The absurd heraldic coat-of-arms and promise that "anybody" can join without being a subscriber emphasize the frivolousness of the enterprise. Life is mocking both gullible voters and opportunistic politicians—a timeless satirical target.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Come and Join Our Party! Greatest Political Movement in History Now Gomg On ® BEVERLY BINKS Acknowledged by all to be the greatest stump erator in the world, Speaks eight hours at a time, with no apparent ged exe clusively by Live. Now touring the country for the Kickers’ Party. EADERS of Lire, attention! R The greatest political movement in the history of the world is now go- ing on. In order to place our campaign before the American people, and do it right, we have engaged the exclusive services of Beverly Binks, to whom there is none su- perior. Mr. Binks has had a wonderful career, He first came to the notice of the American people as the inspirational orator of the East Saginaw Rubber Belt- ing and Packing Company. One bright day, just as the employees of this com- pany, having had their wages doubled the night before, were going out on strike, Mr. Binks rushed among them, and in a short, impassioned speech of a couple of hours showed them not only how to take over the whole business, but how to get into the safe deposit vaults of the heads of the concern. It is just these little things about Mr. Binks that appeal so to every- body. He understands the American peo- ple. There isn’t a movie show he hasn't been to, and he knows the batting record of every ball-tosser. He has also talked with Mr. Gompers, which has given him a rare insight into every form of politics. “T will accept the paltry two thousand dollars a week you offer me,” he said, “including expenses, although, of course, as a walking delegate I expect more than this. But money is nothing to me; I feel very much the way Mr, Bryan does about this. And besides, I realize that the American people must be saved, no matter how much it costs them.” With Beverly Binks at the head of our ign, we certain of becoming a power such as has not been known in this country since George Creel. The forma- tion of the Kickers’ Party ushers in a new It means self-determination for all husbands and a full cellar for every loyal It means that every man can wear clothes that cost at least 2. should cam householder. This installment is number one of the greatest political campaign in history The Kickers’ Party has been formed b Lire to save us from everything we don’t | want. “Take It From Me” is our watch word, and “Save America” is our slogan. Anybody who has a grievance can join, You don’t even have to be a | subscriber. | cent. of what his wife’s cost. It means that we can get the right number at the tele- phone about 50 per cent. of the time. It means—but we anticipate. Al! this, and more, is going down in the platform, which will be published in sections. We have of- fered a prize of several hundred golf balls to that editorial ~riter who can, and will, write the best platform, Our idea is that, by trying for this prize, our editorial writers will have to look up the history of their country. Every little helps. There is really no reason why all the knowledge of our country and its institutions should be the exclusive property of the men who make the comic supplements. But to get ck to business. Taxpayer rampant regardant. profiteers quartered, jazz _¢ with gyn patched panties in azure field, shevist gules; bordures of sable, counter passant It is now the psychological moment for a new party to be formed. Our first idea was to term it the Party of Personal Liberty. But, in conference with Mr. Binks—who knows the language of the plain people—we gave this up. As he so succinctly put it, n rson in a thousand knows any more what. per- sonal liberty means. “But even though a mule is on its last legs, it still has the power to kick, though ever so faintly,” said Mr. Binks. “And I say th: e going to get our party tarted right, we must give it a name that will be understood by the proletariat.” “What is the proletariat?” we ven- tured, “A proletariat,” said Mr. Binks, “is 2 man who works four hours a day for twice the money that he got when he was working twelve hours a day.” The Kickers’ Party is therefore now being formed. Anybody can join who has a grievance. The main point is to get 2 party started in this country that will be able to march on Washington at critical moments and get something done. Fellow citizens, are you with us? Beverly Binks is now coming among one p if we you, Platform announcement next week. comicbooks Soto