Life, 1920-10-28 · page 34 of 46
Life — October 28, 1920 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes labor leader **Samuel Gompers** (head of the American Federation of Labor), depicted as a stubborn negotiator. The joke turns on a play of words: "Life" (the magazine's personified mascot) repeatedly insists on "putting it up to" Gompers—meaning presenting him with a proposal or decision. Gompers resists, claiming he doesn't want things "put up to" him, then contradicts himself by saying if he *had* wanted it, he would have said so already. The satire mocks Gompers' evasiveness and reluctance to take clear positions during labor disputes. His reference to treating "British brothers" roughly suggests contentious union negotiations of the era. The cartoon captures the frustration of dealing with someone who refuses direct commitment or clear answers—a common criticism of Gompers during early 20th-century labor conflicts. The page itself is primarily a book review section, not political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE pgadet een 00 Gas aoe sao acn THE LATEST BOOKS Rhymed R Reviews The Book of Susan (By Lee Wilson Dodd, LEAR-EYED, she bliss, fronted sorrow, E, P, Dutton & Co.) And, like her goddess high and pure Who walks the hills on silver sandals, LIFE’S Choice The Best Six Current Books The Wind Be Worlds, by Alice Brown. cen the Or bugaboos with locks Medusan; She worshiped lucent Artemis Direct, clean-minded, valiant Susan. She wrote a book; Her birth was hardly Susan's pride; That -made a Her father, coarse and seldom shaven, lage ; A murderer and suicide, She pa Had horrified polite New Haven. For dismal lage. Yet Ambrose Hunt book), A man with riches overladen, Magnanimously undertook To rear and teach the orphan maiden. (who writes this She learned; from her no truths were hid: The Souls, books and minds—alike she read them; The thing to do she straightway did; If words were needed, Susan said them. great bubbles ; Sanctum Talks She climbed the slopes of Literature, Disdaining dastard lies and scandals. she wrote a play ed her kit and sailed away scenes There she and Hunt by aid of Krupp 0. Were joined in matrimonial tether; It took a bomb that blew him up To bring this backward pair together. In France they work, world-cauldron But Susan's sure to do a lot To cure the poor old planet's troubles. Arthur Guiterman, OW, Mr. Gompers, I put it up to you.” “But, Lire, I don’t want to have it put up to me.” “But, Mr. Gompers, you must have it put up to you.” “Tf I had wanted it put up to me, Lire, I would have said so long ago. I would have come right out fairly and squarely, and—" “Sure, Mr. Gompers?” “Well, why not? Look at the rough way I have treated our British brothers,” “But—" “Oh, I—” “ Now—Mr. Gompers!” Miss Lulu Bett, by Zona Gale. Mrs. Warren's Harry Johnston. Not That It Matters, by Talks With T. R., Jr. Enslaved, and Other Poems, by Masefield, Daughter, by Sir A. A. Milne by John J. , . ry Leary in Greenwich Vil- Jobn of war and. pil- Henry Memorial Award Stories, 1919. Here are collected fifteen of the thirty-two short stories published in 1919 which were ultimately considered in the award of two prizes, memorials to O. Henry. First prize went to Margaret Prescott Montague’s “ England to Ar ica” (Atlantic Monthly) Wilbur Daniel Steele's ‘or They Know Not What They Do'” (Pictorial Re- (Continued on page 783) while, seething hot, hoils and cond prize to Li FE'S Title Contest For Rules and Conditions See Next Week's Lire Ah, Brother Piety, which shall it be— “Onward, Christian Soldier,” or bide with Me The above was one of the most famous title-contest pictures that have ever appeared in Lire, and is even now remembered by many old readers. It was published in December, 1911, and the pri $ won by Mr. E. N, Smith, San Francisco. The rules and conditions of the $1,000.00 contest now running were published in our last issue, and will be repeated in next week's Lire. comicbooks.co