Life, 1921-03-10 · page 9 of 36
Life — March 10, 1921 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**The Main Cartoon:** Titled "THE FIRST TIME THEY TRIED TO RAISE THE RENT FROM TWO SKINS TO FIVE," this depicts primitive figures attempting to negotiate a rent increase. The satire mocks contemporary landlord-tenant disputes by transplanting them to caveman times, suggesting such conflicts are absurdly timeless. **The Text Sections:** Below are two unrelated pieces: dialogue about diamonds and police procedures, and a "Brain Fag" advice column addressing a woman's anxiety about choosing between wealth and poverty. **Social Context:** The cartoon likely responds to 1920s-era housing disputes and inflation concerns. The juxtaposition of primitive economics with modern problems creates humor through anachronism, while the advice column reflects period anxieties about class mobility and social status.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE FIRST TIME THEY TRIED TO RAISE THE RENT FROM TWO SKINS TO FIVE, with gas-pipe weapon, bursting head- while eloping with diamonds.” ou should not believe what you read in newspapers,” he pronounce distinctually. “I did not see it in newspaper,” I nar- rate. “IT see it in street where it happen.” “It are probably more false poppaganda against Police Dept.” he say so. “But I see that lady distinctually with my owh eyesight.” This from me. “Did you meet her socially?” from him, “Very.” did you see her diamonds?” “Hon, Diamonds was snatched off be- fore I arrive up,” I decompose. “\What then?” he growell, “Diamonds are not there. You do not even know where they are. What species of proof do you call that?” 1 stand there in state of comma. rouble with Hon. Public is,” he re- port, “that they expeck too much of Hon. Force. Are we not sifficiently busy with our public life without wasting strength on private misbehavior of people? If I should listen to all complaining from peo- ple who had been gunned and thieved I should have no time for Policeman’s Glee Club, Mutual Brass Band and Foundling This Asylum. Hon. Force is undermanned. Therefore we must negleck something or become nervus. Nervus policemen are no good to anybody, not even Maylor Hylan.” “Perhapsly I have been thoughtluss,” I say sorrowl: “TI forgive,” corrode Hon. Police. “But what shall I do, if anything, for arrangement of this fattish lady who is dying without diamonds?” I ask to know. “Firstly,” say Hon. Police, “you will obtain her finger prints. Footprints also, if possible. Furnish birth certificate, photo of mother and father and Alpha David signed by two (2) property-holders who have known her first and third hus- bands. Then report case to proper au- thoritics.” “Who are proper nextly require. “How should I know?” he snuggest. “T have only been on Hon. Force for 33 years. A Policeman cannot be aware of everything. When Hon. Enright shall in- crease the Dept. to 30,000 — as it should be, long ago — then perhapsly there shall be an Information Bureau.” In the middle of that wisdom come enlarged sound resembling earthquakes authorities?" 1 falling down stairs. Hon. Police look. O horrus! That Broadside Lady had drop dead or something! “Farebye, Mike!” say Hon.‘ Police to Hon. Politix to which he was talking. “Do not Duty bore us? I shall say it do. Yet I must arrest this woman for inter- rupting traffic.” Therefore he run over to where she laid while I walk away feeling that I had been lynched. Hoping you are the same. Yours truly Hashimura Togo. Brain Fag RS FLUB: So Mrs. Van Gotalotte has nervous prostration. Do tell me all about i Mrs. Dus: Why, haven't you heard? She worried herself sick trying to decide whether to go South with the new rich or stay in town with the new poor. E PUYSTER: What's this bill for fifty dollars? Mrs. De Puyster: That's from the tailor; he put an attractive-looking patch on your trousers. comicbooks.com i)