Life, 1921-11-24 · page 25 of 34
Life — November 24, 1921 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Main Editorial Satire**: "We Should Be Able to Label Our Babel" proposes a darkly humorous system of labeling people like automobiles—marking chronic liars as "A," identifying gunmen, etc. The satire mocks both bureaucratic classification schemes and urban social anxiety. References to "New York or Chicago" evoke 1920s concerns about gangsterism and corruption in major cities. **The Cartoon**: Below shows two hunters with a catch of ducks. The dialogue ("I'm going to stay here all night...bring home a brace of ducks") appears to be a joke playing on "brace" (a pair) and domestic tension—the hunter prefers staying out hunting rather than facing home and dinner. **Context**: This 1921 Life issue reflects post-WWI American society's fascination with order, categorization, and anxieties about urban crime and social trustworthiness. The piece satirizes the era's faith in systematic labeling as a solution to social problems.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
We Should Be Able to Label Our Babel HAT a saving it would be, how it would simplify everything, how it would do away with unnecessary expense, lessen crime, reduce taxes, if everybody were labeled properly, just as motor cars are numbered! \s A stands for Ananias, all the chronic, habitual liars co be labeled A. But even among chronic liars there are s, depending largely upon the individual methods emp ; rthermore, records could easily be indicated in some brie manner so we could tell who was who by glancing at the Inbel. When one met some lady at a reception who was handsome, clever and magnetic, what might one be saved hy knowing that, beneath her charm of manner, she was extremely reliable and loved to sit by the fireside on winter evenings and read Good Housekeeping! nk of visiting some strange place and, upon shaking with the proprietor of the principal hotel, reading In This Town of Six Thousand Inhabitants I Am the Only Honest Man Merely to indicate the occupations of individuals would be of immense assistance. When you are waiting to inter- view the Mayor, to read upon the label of the man who is sitting next to you “I am a Gunman,” would reveal the fact, if you did not know it before, that you were probably either in New York or Chicago! What Is the Best Title for This Picture? LIFE’S Title Contest For the best title to the picture above Lire will award prizes as follows: First Prize,. . . . . 1 . . $500.00 Second Prize, . . . . . . . $300.00 Third Prize, . . . . . . . $200.00 Te contest will be governed by the following RULES By “best” is understood that title which most cleverly describes the situation shown in the picture. The contest is open to everybody. The contest ‘s now open. It will close at noon on De- cember 5, 1921. All titles should be addressed to Lire’s Contest Editor, 598 Madison Avenue, New York, N. Y. Envelopes should contain nothing but the competing title with the name and address of the sender, plainly written, all on the same sheet. Titles will be judged by three members of Lire’s Editorial Staff, and their decision will be final. Titles may be original or may be a quotation from some well-known author. Contestants may send in more than one title. In case of ties the full amount of the prize will be given to each tying contestant. 7 é J = The final award will be announced as early as possible Pera alg me et Tteld after the close of the contest. Of this due notice will be my wife not to buy anything for dinner because I'd given. Checks will be sent simultaneously with the an- bring home a brace of ducks.” nouncement of the award. comicbooks.com