Life, 1920-11-18 · page 15 of 44
Life — November 18, 1920 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical comic strip mocks a labor activist ("Comrade Blabb") through his purported diary entries. The cartoonist portrays him as hypocritical and unserious about workers' causes. The narrative shows Blabb initially optimistic about a strike, then disturbed by workers singing contentedly on the job—suggesting honest workers contradict his revolutionary message. He's further troubled by workers dining well and being fairly paid, and horrified by a carpenter working after 5 PM. The final panel shows him unable to sleep, troubled that workers' material comfort undermines his agitational message. The satire targets 1920s-era labor radicals, suggesting their ideology requires worker discontent to maintain relevance—a critique of agitators as exploiting rather than genuinely serving working-class interests.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE. From the Diary of Comrade Blabb, Labor Agitator What is the world coming to! As I strolled out this morning, thinking what a pleasant day it was for a strike and how comfortably my bank balance was growing, only sunshine was in my heart. Presently my ears were assailed by the sound of laborers singing at their work. The thought that any honest American workman could be con- tented jarred me considerably. A little later I was pained to see some men The full dinner pails that I saw everywhere fraternizing with their employer. Think of the distressed me much. My work becomes much catastrophe if workmen should come to believe harder when workmen are well paid and weil that most employers are pretty good fellows who It is really very unfair of capitalists. mean to give them a square deal! wicca But the shock that really unnerved me was Sleep is not for me to-night. If the American seeing a carpenter drive three nails after the five workman is really going to be content with good o'clock whistle blew. I had never thought to see food, good work and good pay, what is to become such an evidence of demoralization in this country. of me? I might even have to go to work. comicbooks.com