Life, 1921-04-07 · page 24 of 38
Life — April 7, 1921 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical **short-quips column** rather than a political cartoon. The unsigned illustration shows a woman at a window asking a man to hold a wire while she lets her cat out—a domestic scene that anchors the page's humorous commentary. The jokes mock **1920s American life**: prohibition's failure (champagne imports), Warren G. Harding's mediocrity as president, small-town pretension (renaming Main Street to Broadway), and linguistic standardization (Chicago schools accepting "It is me"). References include the Lafayette quote (American WWI service), Monte Carlo wealth inequality, and Ohio's presidential dominance. One joke plays on "safes" and "securities"—wordplay on financial instruments. Another targets the sea-serpent hoax as exaggerated reporting. The tone is gently cynical about American culture, politics, and social pretension—typical of *Life* magazine's witty, cosmopolitan humor during the Jazz Age.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life epidemic of hiccoughs, an attack J scstictines lasting two weeks, has been prevalent in Paris—News /tem, “ Lafayette, we are here!” vee . How many million lives is it going to cost the great powers to answer the question whether the battleship has become obsolete? eee At the end of a rainbow is a pot of gold bricks. eee The collared lizard of New Zealand is already learning the art of walking on its hind legs. After it has acquired the ability to toddle and fox- trot, it can bring its collar over to the United States and be a regular lizard. eee This country required in 1920, for medicinal purposes, 285,250 bottles of the finest French champagne. You see, prohibition makes a good many people sick. see Diplomacy is the art of making nations appear civi- lized during the intervals be- tween wars. see An author is seldom a hero to his proofreader. eee Suggested advertising slogan for the dealer in glass eyes: “New lamps for old.” * Our politicians seem to be always keenly alive to the fact that we have neither an English nor a French vote in this country. see The gold-burdened tables of Monte Carlo are surrounded by the newly rich But they are vastly outnumbered by the bare tables throughout Europe surrounded by the eternally poor. see The wise ones in the marriage market report that short term bonds are becoming increasingly popular. eee Geography is just one obsolete map after dnother. “1 GOT TO LET THE CAT OUT. It is reported that seven hundred and twenty-eight small towns throughout the United States have voted to change the name of the’r principal thoroughfare from “Main Street” to “ Broadway.” Who says we pay no attention to our native American literature? see The joker who named christened “ securitie: “safes” also Drawn by J. PLEASE, Unless Warren G. Harding is more of a President than a newspaperman, the Marion Star will scoop the nation every day. eee The National Confectioners’ Association denies that there has been any unusual rush for candy as a result of prohibition. Like many others, the candy makers ap- pear to be still waiting for prohibition to begin. see The superintendent of schools in Chi- cago has ruled that “It is me” and “He don’t” are henceforth avcepted as gram- HOLD THE WIRE A MINUTE, matically correct, and that the ancient forms, “It is I” and “He doesn’t” are “outlawed by common usage and a sense of good form.” This news comes as a distinct surprise to citizens of Cook county, who never before knew that there was any doubt about it. see Fragments of a sea monster have been found off the coast of | la which, so the SCIEQUStS say, that the was at least eighty size. indicate creatur, If the late sea sery speak, he would paraphrase Mark Twain a say, “The report of my re- mains is grossly exaggerate: eee The Buckeyes don’t care a rap whether the garden of Eden was located in Ohio, so long as Ohio is in the White House, eae Will somebody please tell us just who performs the duties of the Lord Mayor of Cork, Ireland? see Almost any of us would be willing to be real democrats if we weren't afraid the next fellow would try to put over something aristocratic on us. R. Saves =e © “Me,” said Pegasus, crop- ping grass far up the slopes of Parnassus, “me for the high browse!" eee The back-to-the-farm movement is about as successful as the back-to-your- maiden-name crusade. see The Congress to increase the protective tariff on lemons. About the only native fruit that seems to thrive in these parts unaided is the great American raspberry. eee California Citrus League wants The list of killed and wounded poli ticians in Chicago indicates a growing interest in public affairs {n that city comicbooks.com Es ~~ n/n 2 7)\| —T Tilt PA TUT: (Wes