Life, 1921-03-24 · page 28 of 34
Life — March 24, 1921 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page collects brief humorous anecdotes from international publications, reflecting early 20th-century social anxieties and workplace dynamics. Key satirical points include: **"Of Two Evils"**: References anti-Asian xenophobia common post-WWI, mocking European fears of Chinese workers replacing domestic servants. The "solution"—learning Chinese—ridicules the absurdity of this prejudice. **"Close Competition"**: Jokes about workplace romance and gender dynamics, suggesting young female secretaries compete for attention from an attractive male colleague rather than seeking vacation time. **"How the Hunger-Strike Began"**: Likely references suffragist hunger strikes (common 1910s-20s), satirizing the practice by imagining a performer striking for theatrical compensation rather than political rights. **"Overtime"**: A Punch cartoon mocking Spanish bullfighter strikes, with dark humor about replacing dead bulls weekly. The overall tone reflects typical satirical magazines' approach: workplace comedy, gentle mockery of social movements, and xenophobic humor considered acceptable contemporary humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
G23 ey zt ‘ ml lear and. the World Smile he eee eee PPPOE PEED Something to Read—A Maid (handing up two books to a library assistant): Will you change these two books, please, for Mrs. Crawley-Smith? Assistant: Are there any others you wish for?” Maid: No. Mrs. Crawley-Smith does- n't mind what they are so long as they have big print and a happy ending. —London Chronicle. Plenty of Action—Slapstick Di- rector: Can't you suggest a novel from which we could adapt a comedy? Comedian: My memory isn’t very ac- curate, but isn’t there a book called “Alice Threw the Looking-glass"?—Film Fun. Traps for the Unwary —A Lover: I wish you'd find out how I stand with your father. His Lass: Oh! Why? A Lover: He gave me a tip on the Stock Exchange to-night—London Mail. Normalcy-Movie Director (to ingenue) : Don’t look so stupid, please, miss. You aren't supposed to be in love any more! —Fliegende Blatter (Munich). , THE JUTE BROKER, OFFERED ME HIS AND HIS FORTUNE, BUT I REFUSED “on, wHy?” “ONE WAS TOO LARGE, AND THE OTHER too smatL.” —Looker-On (Calcutta.) “ALL RIGHT; SINCE YOU REFUSE ME THE HUNDRED DOLLARS I'LL GO AND DIE OF HUNGER.” “GO AHEAD, I BELIEVE THERE’S NO SUF- FERING TO SPEAK OF AFTER THE FIRST TWO montus.” —Le Journal Amusant (Paris). Of Two Evils— The yellow man has invaded Paris as well as London, owing to the absence of domestic help. A newspaper depicts such a servant arriving at a French home, where the lady of the house exclaims in consternation, “ But he does not know a word of French! What shall we do?” “Do not hesitate a moment,” says the husband. “Learn Chinese at once!” — Japan Advertiser (Tokyo). Close Competition —First Business Man: You say that none of your stenographers wants a vacation this year? That’s funny. Second Business Man: No, it’s that nice young secretary—the girls are afraid of missing a chance at him—Hojas Se- lectas (Barcelona). There Are Others —“ Pompous and con- ceited, is he not?” “Very! He seems to believe that he can make anything inevitable by merely bowing to it."—Kansas City Star. And_ Overtime —Spanish toreadors are on strike for a higher wage. There is talk, we understand, of a six bull week. —Punch, Good-Night Resolutions At night ere I am los My little thoughts like flocks of sheep Come home on tender, tired feet And make my wilful heart repeat; “To-morrow I shall be most kind, I shall be good. I shall not find A single fault with anything But I shall laugh and blithely sing At whatsoever fate may mock.” And then I sleep...Burr! Five o'clock! Time’s rich alarm renews my brain, “Oh, damn it, is it day again?” —Bulletin (Sydney), How the Hunger -Strike Began—Profes. sional Faster: I should like to undertake a fast of four weeks in this show of your. How much will you pay me? Showman: I can’t give you any salay, but I will pay for your keep.—Pearson’s Weekly (London). Politics—He: But you said you'd mary me if I voted for Squawks. She: Nothing but a campaign lie, od deah.—Dartmouth Jack o' Lantern First Bloke (out on strike): OUTER WORK LONG, BILL? an’ WEEKS. : (TIs *ARD LUCK, WHEN A BLOKE 1§ WILLING TO STRIKE AND ‘E CANT CET A Jos. —Bulletin (Sydney.) comicbooks.com