Life, 1921-01-20 · page 28 of 36
Life — January 20, 1921 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains satirical commentary on post-WWI social and political issues, presented as brief quips and two cartoon panels. The "Life Lines" section mocks contemporary concerns: peace negotiations (referencing the Hotel Crillon in Paris, site of post-WWI talks), artistic movements (Cubism and "Ovism"), prohibition-era alcohol shortages, and post-war anxieties. References to "Constantine of Greece" and naval arms races reflect ongoing international instability. The two cartoons depict domestic life ironies: one shows a parent punishing a child while admitting admiration for the child's defiance—critiquing parental hypocrisy. The second shows newlyweds where the bride celebrates her husband's restraint in cursing only once during car trouble, suggesting lowered expectations for male behavior. The closing commentary by Edward S. Van Zile criticizes civilization's contradictions: breadlines coexisting with profit-driven systems, and nations accepting foreign mandates while neglecting domestic problems. The humor is cynical about post-war social progress.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life Lines Precept Upon Precept, Line Upon Line— Here a Titter and There a Titter. I’ it takes this nation over two years to make a peace, how long will it take us to establish the millennium? “ Peace hath her victories.” the Hotel Crillon, Paris, to She damaged the tune of The Ovists, successors to the Cubists, paint everything as egg-shaped. How can they afford models fresh enough to pose? Does the home-run record go to Babe Ruth or to Constantine of Greece? England expects every man to agree with Lady Astor Weren't the great powers matching navies before 1914? The X-ray is now master from 1 fake. If you think you own Rubens or a Raphael, keep it dark. It’s a dangerous pastime. used to tell an old he utter depravity of the early Egyp- tians has been proved by recent excavations showing that they made real beer as early 2000 8.c. A law should at once be passed against pictures of the pyramids “ The aroused conscience ” of the race de- mands deadlier guns and gases. It requires 96,000 quarts of whisky daily, used medicinsily, to keep New Yorkers nerved up to endure the shortage of alco- holie stimulants. Will the true history of the first quarter of the twenticta century be written by liter- ary men or by alienists? “ROGER, I'M POSED TO PUNISH YOU FOR DEFYING YOUR MOTHER TO- DAY. TI ADMIRE YOUR COURAGE, NOW, VVERY TIME | WHACK THIS PILLOW, YOU HOLLER.” Mother: WELL, DEAR, 1 HOPE YOUR WEDDING TRIP WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. Daughter: WONDERFUL, MOTHER. JACK 1S AN ANGEL. HE HAD TO CHANGE TWO TIRES IN THE DARK DURING A RAINSTORM AND HE ONLY SAID “DAMN” ONCE. A craze for politeness is siid to have broken out in Berlin, It'll bear watching. Will it be a step forward when our Vice- President becomes an Advice President? More precious than rubies is the bell-boy you can trust. Seismographs have been registering great disturbances of the earth’s interior. Our foolish old planet swore off too suddenly. What do we gain if, by enlarging the di- ameter of our reform movements, we in: crease the major crimes? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has endorsed an alleged photograph of real fairies. That's nothing. Our Federal sleuths are continu- ally taking snapshots at genuine spirits. A movement is on foot to compel all writers striving to depict the situation in circumference of our Russia to remain in that country for a period of not less than ten days. The law-abiding may catch a burglar yet and hold him as hostage. It’s an old-fashioned city that isn’t having its crime wave this season. Perhaps Russia, Armenia or Hayti might be persuaded to accept a mandate over our own dear country. The Gettites were bad enough, of course. but they were never as bloodthirsty as the Shootites. It would take a superstatesman to put a date to the average mandate. No country can be contented until the law and the profits dovetail. What is the matter with a so-called civil- ization that requires bread-lines and dead- lines? Edward S. Van Zile. comicbooks.com