Life, 1920-12-16 · page 16 of 45
Life — December 16, 1920 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical comic strip mocking labor activism and union organizing. The protagonist, "Comrade Blabb," is a labor agitator who claims ideological commitment to workers' strikes but consistently accepts capitalist bribes—charging two dollars per worker to negotiate settlements. The satire targets the hypocrisy of corrupt union leaders: Blabb gives fiery speeches about labor solidarity ("A Strike Without Victory or Vanquished") while privately selling out strikers to capitalists who hire scabs (replacement workers). He profits personally from both sides—collecting strike fees from workers while accepting payoffs to end strikes. The cartoon criticizes how labor leaders could exploit workers' genuine grievances for personal gain, portraying Blabb as self-serving rather than principled.
📄 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 This morning I agreed to insure three capi- In spite of my speech, “Why Slave for Ten talists against interruption of work on the new Dollars a Day When You Can Get Twenty?" the bank they are building. I charged my usual fee men decided to strike, and I reluctantly accepted of two dollars a man at work on the job my usual fee of two dollars a man for leading them. But, mindful of my promise to the capitalists, With customary ingratitude, the capitalists de- I engaged, at my usual fee, three ex-dishwashers, clared that the new crew was not doing the work a former’ bookkeeper, two pensioned elevator satisfactorily, and I finally agreed to settle the men and an ex-pastry cook to continue the work. strike at my usual fee of two dollars a man After my stirring address, “A Strike Without As I made my daily deposit at the bank T could Victor or Vanquished,” I found the men quite not help but reflect what a good, simple fellow ¢ ready to resume their pay envelopes and to pay the American laboring man is, and how truly me my usual fee of two dollars each for settling productive of wealth when unde? capable leader- the strike. ship, such as mine. comicbooks.com