Life, 1921-02-17 · page 33 of 34
Life — February 17, 1921 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **brief satirical jokes** rather than political cartoons. The humor targets early-1920s American life: **"Tragedy"** mocks Prohibition-era home liquor-making—a common illegal practice after alcohol was banned in 1920. A yeast-cake accident ruins the operation, referencing the widespread amateur distilling that flourished during Prohibition. **"The Lucky Fifth"** jokes about large families and parenting theories (a dig at the era's pseudo-scientific parenting advice). **"Losing Caste"** satirizes class anxiety: a family's social status declines because their burglar only visits twice weekly instead of frequently—implying wealth through theft. The page is primarily **advertising and filler content** typical of Life magazine's format. The substantial block on "Public Utilities" is a **corporate advertisement** from Bell Telephone, framing themselves as factual, regulated, and essential—likely responding to Progressive Era criticism of monopolies. The satire reflects 1920s concerns: Prohibition enforcement, modern parenting debates, and class pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Tragedy ‘An innocent liquid they started to make, ‘As safe as there was to be had. Bat a little yeast cake was dropped in by mistake, Which sent the whole works to the bad! —Philander Johnson, in Washington Star. The Lucky Fifth—“ Nice children you have. Which is this?” “The fifth.” “He seems to be the healthiest-looking of the lot.” "Yes, by the time he came along his mother had run out of theories.” —Boston Transcript | Much in Littke—A baby will make love | stronger, days shorter, night longer, bank roll smaller, home happier, clothes shab- bier, the past forgotten and the future worth living for.—Office Topics. How Business Men Keep Their Spirits Up—“ Cancel my order at once,” came the telegram to the factory. The owner per- petrated the only new joke in the millen- nium. His telegram in reply read: “ Your order cannot be cancelled at once. You must take your turn,” —New York Evening Post. Elevating the Movies —Moving-picture operators, disgusted by the demands that are being made on them by their stars, threaten to go into stores, factories and lunch rooms for talent to take their places. Well, they ought to experience no difficulty in the matter, for, believe you us, dearie, you know it yourself, there's a lotta us girls at owny have ta be give a chanct tuh make them four- flashin’ scream vamps look like a Cox minority in a Republican year, ain't it th’ truth?—Philadelphia Inquirer. Losing Caste—First Social Leader: But Tve dropped calling on the — Phiz- Stantons, Second Social Leader: How is that, my dear? “Oh, no longer of our set. Their bur- slar only calls twice a week now, you know."—Bulletin (Sydney) An Easy Way to Remove Dandruff If you want plenty of thick, beautiful, glossy, silky hair, do by all means get rid of dandruff, for it will starve your hair and ruin it if you don't. The best way to get rid of dandruff is to dissolve it. To do this, just app! Liquid Arvon at night before retiring; use enough to moisten the scalp, and rub it in gently with the finger tips. y morning, most, not all, of your dandruff will be gone, and three or four more applications should completely re- Move every sign and trace of it, You will find, too, that all itching of the scalp will stop, and your hair will look and feel a hundred times better. You can get Liquid Arvon at any drug store. A four- ounce bottle is all that is needed Terk a Cleveland, Oia, Panties enrolling now. Moderate prices Most interesting routes. Great success 1920. TEMPLE TOURS “> est Franklin St Boston, Mass. | On the Bais of Facts The life of our country is built around its Public Utilities. Our social, in- dustrial and Government activities could not exist today without the contin- ued operation of their in- dispensable services. That such services may be extended and developed to be of the greatest use to the greatest number, the Federal Government and practically all the states have appointed Public Service Commissioners as permanent tribunals to regulate public utilities with fairness to all concerned. Facts as to the past and studies as to the future, the Bell Companies find are es- sential to the proper man- agement and development of their business. This in- formation is open to study by these Commissioners and through them by the public generally. The solution of the prob- lem of building up and maintaining the public utilities, which is of the greatest importance to the people of this country, is assured whenever all the facts are known and given their due weight. AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY AND ASSOCIATED COMPANIES One Policy One System Universal Service And all directed toward Better Service In Reply to Irvin S. Cobb ] READ with keen interest Irvin S. Cobb's “ Am I Psychic or Am I Not?” in Lire’s Christmas Numb the subtle humor with which he cloaked I admire a phenomenon arising from a_ purely physical condition by hint of the super- natural, The question is, what particular alcoholic beverage do American humor- | ists visiting in France usually indulge in | to excess? —.. dhe ‘anor Albemarle Park Asheville, N.C. Perfect Golf in a Periect Climate Gn America-~-An English Inn comicbooks.com