Life, 1921-07-07 · page 6 of 34
Life — July 7, 1921 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"Sanctum Talks"** features a dialogue between "Life" (the magazine's personified mascot) and H.G. Wells, the famous science fiction author. Life congratulates Wells on his literary reputation while ironically suggesting his fame comes not from brilliance but from spreading ignorance cleverly. Wells responds that everything valuable derives from accurate information—then Life jokes that if Wells had discovered truth about Russia, he'd have kept quiet anyway. The satire mocks both Wells's tendency toward imaginative speculation presented as fact and the era's general skepticism about intellectuals' reliability. **"A Big Contract"** shows a hippo and monkey with ostriches. The monkey complains the ostriches charged low rates for haircuts but now demand extra payment because the contract includes "having their necks shaved"—a visual pun on ostrich physiology. This is simple comedic nonsense without deeper political meaning.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Sanctum Talks IFE, I salute you!” “H. G. Wells, I genuflect before you. I bend the knee and sound the horn, also the cymbal, harp, ukulele, lute, tambourine and xylophone; likewise with drum and fife, tom-tom, dulcimer, guitar and hurdy-gurdy, I make my obeisance before you. How are you, anyway?” “Considering how I have been abused, I am doing fairly well.” “Tt is possible to thrive upon abuse— and royalties.” “But my place in literature?” “Is fully assured—just outside the ma.a hall, in the first row of the re- porters’ gallery.” “Do you think then, that my extraor- dinary reputation is due to my profound ignorance?” “Certainly not, Mr. Wells. It’s the immensely clever manner in which you spread your ignorance about you that counts.” “T suppose there is something to that.” “Everything, my dear Wells. It may be given to but few men to be so pro- foundly ignorant about so many things as you are, but how inarticulate the most valuable of them are, compared with your distinguished self.” “And yet, Lire, suppose I had confined myself to accurate information. How long would I have lasted? I never would have got around to my history.” “And your reputation as a writer of the world’s best fiction would have been by so much curtailed.” “Naturally. Suppose, even if I had discovered the truth about Russia, I had told it?” “Tt would have ruined you.” “Precisely. Thank you, your cheerful sentiments. Lire, for I’m off.” “One moment, my dear Wells—just a private word. I didn’t mean it all. Really, that history book is a corker, in spite of—” “Ah!” “And again I salute you: with bag- pipes, clarinets, the melodious cithara and the loud entreating bugle—also the bas- soon and the lyre—especially the lyre—” “Vale, Lirr!” “Vale, my dear Wells. And put in a good word for benighted America with the Almighty, will you?” LIFE Fresh Air Fund Lire’s Fresh Arr Fuxp has been in opera. tion for the past thirty-four years, time it has expended $191,130.33 and has given @ fortnight in the country to 41,505 poor city children. Contributions, which are acknowledged in Lire about three weeks after their receipt, should made payable to Lire’s Fresu Ate FuNp, and sent to 598 Madison Avenue, New York C Previously acknowledged Walter Whitehead, Boston 10.00 George A. Smith, 'Arlington, Mass. 10-00 P. F., Philadelphia + 5.00 Mrs. "Willard Saulsbur; Del. . 10.00 Suzanne Bopp, Washington, D.C: 2:00 F. E. VanBuskirk, Brook! YI) 20-00 T. T. T., New York. 10.00 Katherine H. Birchall 10.00 Anonymous, Greenwich, Conn 10.00 Mrs. John G. Nicholson, New 25.00 Richard Mi, Robinson, Springfield, Mass. 10-09 Abram S. Post, Quogue, N. 10.00 Alfred J. Moutric York. 5.00 & PE, York. 10.00 . Teed, Somers, New Yor! 10.00 . Villian, Providence, R. 10.00 Mrs.'B. C. Finke; Fair Haven, No Joss. 5.00 Geo: Hi. Sage, Harford 25.00 Val. A; Stoltze, Brook 10:00 I 20.00 Mrs i Adams Brown, Bosto1 Phoenix Ingraham, Ruth M. C. New. York . Shriver, West Orang Buchenberger, Nutl Mrs. K. Ro Host, Ridgefield, Mrs. B. C. Judd, New Yor Timothy M. Griffing, Riverhead, N. ye R. H. Thompson, West Point, : Helen Tripp, New York. J, Craig Roberts, Buffalo, Halford, & “Donald Clark, D. ¥. Mrs. Arthur P, Williams, Bellows Falis, Rochester, Vt. Arthur B, Fairfield, Hanover, d Mrs. E. W. Hooker, Hartford, “Gon The Misses Rake, Reading, memory of Jas. Lewis Rak < (Continued on pag A Big Contract Mr. Hippo: Mr. Monkey: Trouble! What's the trouble? Why these Ostrich boys got me to make them a low rate on haircuts and now they say that it includes having their necks shaved. comicbooks.com