Life, 1920-12-30 · page 14 of 39
Life — December 30, 1920 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents a satirical dialogue where various years personified as characters boast about their terrible accomplishments. The 1920 figure claims to be "officially, the worst year yet," citing a presidential election, a yacht race involving Babe Ruth hitting home runs, the Treaty of Peace being "knifed," and Irish starving amid Prohibition's enforcement. The cartoon below shows a polar bear family in Arctic conditions. The caption reads: "Mrs. Ug-glug (as polar bear chases husband): 'Oh, dear! Hubby promised me a bear-skin rug for our new house, and I'm so afraid he won't be able to get it.'" The humor plays on 1920s anxieties about economic hardship, political turmoil, and Prohibition's failures, while the polar bear joke offers dark satire about domestic life and male responsibility.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE- The Year of Years HE Years That Used to Be were loung about in their club rooms the Hall of Time. s about the good old days when they held sway over the earth, and arguing as to which of them had enjoyed the worst experiences during his twelve-month term of office. “T had a pretty tough three hundred and sixty-five days of it,” remarked 1066, “ what with the Norman conquest and the battle of Hastings and—" “Oh, lay off! Lay off!" groaned 538 B. C. “Haven't we heard all about your achieve- ments over and over again? Now, / claim that the world was at its worst when Babylon fell.” “How about the pul asked 1438 A. D. “Or the discovery of the first cold-storage eg: ation of the first weather report?” tured 316. “Or the springing of the fi B.C, fairly shouted Adam and Eve joke?" 4762 Just then a faint knock was heard at the door. * Come in,” said the year 1, who was chairman of the admis- ns Committee. a battered and 1 to have been on a The great portals swung open broken-down old individual who long and wearying journey “Who you? sked the chairman The stranger surveyed them throv “Tam 1920,” he faltered. glazed eyes, Mrs. Ug-gluy (as polar bear chases } SKIN KUG FO OUR SEW HOUSt usband ) “Hail! chorus. “What is more,” 1920 went on, year yet.” “What?” shouted the others, in comparative unison. “T-I'm the worst year yet,” croaked the newcomer, a trifle Hail! The gang’s all year!" sang the assembled “Tam, officially, the worst apologetically. “And, pray on such airs raucous and stentorian mirth. “Well—there was a presidential election, and a yacht race n't a race, and a king was killed by a monkey, and tell, what did you do, that entitles you to take " queried 1492, as soon as he could control his that w Babe Ruth hit fifty-four home runs and—” “Come, come!" broke in 1776. “ This is ridiculous. we throw him out.” lence!” commanded the year 1. “Let the stranger have I move his say.” “And the Treaty of Peace was knifed,” continued 1920, “and an Irish patriot starved himself to death for some reason or other, and woman suffrage was enforced and Prohibition was nd—and—" At this point the old fellow broke down. “What else happened? Out with it!” demanded the crowd. “And it was proved,” he choked, “it was proved that base- ball is crooked.” A dead, oppressive hush fell over the multitude of years. They dared not look at each other; they dared not speak. They could only cast down their eyes in silent horror. The world had touched bottom at last. ert E, Sherwood. OW, DEAR! TUBBY PROMISED ME A BEAK- AND I'M SO AFRAID HE WON'T BE ABLE TO GET IT comicbooks.com