Life, 1921-02-24 · page 12 of 32
Life — February 24, 1921 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains political satire about American leadership circa World War I era. The left column features dialogue mocking government figures (referenced as "Hon. Incums," "Hon. Harding," "Hon. Ghost") debating Irish independence, tariffs, and naval policy—suggesting incompetent or disconnected politicians. The four-panel cartoon titled "CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE" shows a man in formal dress appearing to slip on ice repeatedly while children watch, with the final panel showing him falling. The joke: physical stumbling serves as "evidence" of clumsiness, paralleling how politicians' public gaffes become evidence of their incompetence. The "Lost Hopes" section mentions a woman who received a telephone marriage proposal but rejected it—satirizing changing courtship norms. Without a visible date, the exact political targets remain unclear, though the tone suggests Progressive Era skepticism of government.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
274 “Indeedly! And suppose Hon. Incums goes on strike?” “Then I shall protect American Industries.” “With more Sir Tax There won't be no more Industries,” develop Ghost. “Let us talk about Ireland,” Snuggest Hon. Harding. Hon. Ghost turn green-haired while narrating: “So pleasant subject! How will you please England?” “ By setting Ireland free,” pronounce Hon. Warring G. “That would cause Irish revolution in Boston,” Howell that Spiritual. Hon. Pres. of U. S. comm nce tearing down his bed, Hoping to think some answer. “And now we are talking,” pronounce that weard Spookus, “Let us settle Liquor Question, Japanese Problemb, Naval Program and Tariff—” Noise of rages! With O-Hio war-cry Hon. Harding jounce out of bed With fists tied up. “How durst you,” he reject, “Come probling into my royal sleep to make inquiry On night before my glad coronation? You have never front-porched with me— You have not even the intelligence of a Best Mind. What connection you got To me?” Hon. Ghost stood winding his nose around the chandelier and commence laughing like Lackawanna timetables before happy reply: am your son. How umpossible!” dib Hon. Pres. “You were not even a campaign libel— And by what name, please, do you travel by?” Hon. Blue Ghost walk away through gas pipe, But before his head evaporate he drop down to coo-coo: “ NORMALCY Ding & ding! Official _alarm-clock say that. Hon, Harding jump awake And recognize Mch 4. Already he heard knives, brickbats, printing-presses And other tools peculiar to Great Republicks Sharpening themselves. “How sad to think,” he mone, “Tt are umpossible to be a Hero And remain very Popular.” Therefore he feel deliciously hopeluss. Hoping you are the same Yours truly Hashimura Ti LOCAL GossIP UTHER Biddle seen a piece in the Swampville Clarion tellir' how music would make hens lay, so he decided to try it. Seein’ as how Luther hes sung regular in the choir fer twenty years he reckoned he cud supply the music, so last week he sot himself down in the hen house and started in. He let ’em have it straight through the hymn tunes and wound up strong on “ Now I lay me, etc.”—about chore time. When he gut to git the eggs thar want hardly none an’ so he told Lem Stubbs about it, how disappointed he wuz and one thing another. Lem told him he better not try it no longer on account of a hen he hed a-set- tin’! He sed he might inflooence her so’st she'd hatch it a flock of canary birds ef he want keerful. (To be continued in our next.) Lost Hopes “ AUNTIE, did you ever have a proposal?” “Once, dear, a gentleman asked me over the telephone to marry him, but he had the wrong number.” CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE, comicbooks.com