Life — January 20, 1921 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Our Program" - Life Magazine Satire This page satirizes Prohibition-era moral reformism. The poem "Our Program" mocks self-righteous activists who sought to ban alcohol, tobacco, and "immoral" entertainment (referencing censorship of clothes, dishes, and "Bourgeoisie and Pro-la-ri-at"). The verse, attributed to Arthur Gutterman, sarcastically suggests these reformers aim to "abolish Human Nature" and institute authoritarian control through legislation. The lower illustration by J.R. Shaver depicts working-class domestic life—a woman discovering a man sawing wood on Sunday, violating Sabbath restrictions. The caption "'OH, LOOK, MOTHER, THERE'S A MAN SAWING WOOD ON SUNDAY'" mocks the petty moral policing that characterized the Prohibition era's broader campaign to regulate everyday behavior and enforce rigid social standards.