Life, 1921-02-03 · page 39 of 46
Life — February 3, 1921 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **satirical editorial commentary** rather than cartoons. The main article, "What the Women Say," mocks women's rationalizations for wearing fur coats by collecting contradictory quotes from various women—country women, city women, society matrons, and teachers. The satire works through **ironic juxtaposition**: each quote reveals self-serving hypocrisy. Women claim furs cause them distress, yet wear them anyway. They invoke "economic necessity" (killing pests), deflect responsibility ("killed long ago"), or dismiss ethical concerns due to social obligations. A teacher admits trapping is "awful" but sees nothing wrong with wearing the results. The piece criticizes **class attitudes and moral inconsistency**—particularly urban, privileged women who claim to love animals while wearing their pelts, and who blame their busy social schedules for avoiding ethical reflection. The remaining page content is **advertisements** (Tiffany & Co., Biltmore hotel, music instruction) and unrelated editorial snippets about "efficiency blurbs."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Natural Reaction Are you an observer? Do you know how many steps there are down into your cellar? Or upstairs to your bed- room? If you don't, you are not, etc. iciency blurb. No, we do not, and furthermore, we don't care a hang. We bave the honor to be iden- ified with one of the so-called “ observing »rofessions,” and the first thing our trainer | trove to have us do was observe the things round us. The next thing was to ignore . =) econd lesson is harder to learn than the CK UYU. first. Perhaps that is why so many who fail 'o get past the first lesson give it up and urn to writing efficiency blurbs.—Kansas ity Stor. What the Women Say An article in Our Dumb Animals on “Fur and the Steel Trap.” by Alice Jean Cleator, gives some of the opinions of wo- sen om the subject: | JEWELRY AND SILVERWARE Said a country woman of humble means, “The wearing of fur seems to me so like u Cre launting wealth.” The suffering of animals NOTED FOR DESIG) scemed to her but secondary to the extravs Day > ” to ganee. QUALITY AND WORKMANSHIP “Oh, but furs are so soft and com fortable.” laughed a city woman, half wpologetically, snuggling down into her comfortable ” coat, as | wondered just how comfortable were the furry — creatures clamped with the clutch of steel, the prayer of agony in their eyes. MAI INquiries Given PRoMPT ATTENTION “Ob, my furs were killed so long ago.” smilingly remarked a young woman with complacent air, as if by this fact she were completely exonerated from all responsi- bility. “I'd give up wearing furs if everybody else would,” exclaimed a young girl who “ just FIFTH AVEN IE Kot STREET loves "-animals. “Tve just bought a new fnr coat, so of NE rY , course | must wear it out,” remarked a city NEW YORK saleswoman with a relieved air. “City women don't understand about the “SUCCESS IN MUSIC AND HOW TO WIN IT” trapping. besides they are so busy with their clubs and social functions that there is THIS vontert boo ey really no time to think of these things. wrote a society woman of Cleveland. A prominent club woman of a large city wrote me: “No woman would be willing Free Trial of Any instrement to cause suffering even of an animal, if she Try a tamous Co . trombone, clarinet really stopped to thin band or cochestes Sastrement Yet her letter closed with this statement “There are plenty of animals which must The BILTMORE be killed to furnish furs for us; therefore At no arester cect. Highest women are justified in wearing them.” 1 can eG. CONN Led : This “economic” excuse is a favorite | | Where the social life one, One would think that women were wearing furs for the express purpose of of New York centers ridding the world of troublesome pests and by day and evening undesirable animal population. “It’s too bad that the poor little animals can't be killed in some nicer way,” remarked CLOSE a soft-voiced Southern woman. TO ALL THEATRES Bee eee A teacher of wide experience admitted that AND SHOPS Sead today tee ees | | trapping is “awful,” but stoutly and illog- pauk ically affirmed, “Yet, I cannot see but that it is perfectly right for women to wear furs.” comicbooks.com