Life, 1921-12-29 · page 24 of 35
Life — December 29, 1921 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces from an early 20th-century American humor magazine: **"Dimensions"** mocks editorial gatekeeping—an editor rejecting a manuscript as "too long" while the author defends its breadth, using the Mississippi River as a humorous measure. **"There's Plenty in a Name"** proposes renaming warships with financially transparent names like "Insolvency," "Deficiency," and "Moratorium" to make taxpayers aware of military spending costs. It's political satire arguing that honest naming would build public opposition to armament budgets. **"Aviation Questions I Have Tried to Answer"** is absurdist humor mocking early aviation ignorance through fake Q&A—wheels made of "Ouija boards," pilots cooled by fans, backing up by "flapping ears." This ridicules both public confusion about new aircraft technology and perhaps overconfident pilots. The bottom cartoon depicts Black laborers in dialect, appearing to be a separate comedic vignette typical of the era's problematic humor conventions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
yx e SPICY—NOT ~ SMUT SEX. “SMur SET. | ea Ny) JANES INONTEOMERY FLAGS Dimensions “We're looking for stories quite zippy— Now pray don’t consider me snippy— Yours is long, seems to me.” Quoth the author, “But, gee! It’s as broad as the old Mississippi.” There’s Plenty in a Name 4) Be the extent that public sentiment backs it, the movement to limit armaments will succeed. Take the little matter of big guns, for example. When a new gun is tested at some proving ground, the public is informed in great detail how much farther the new gun shoots than the most powerful of its predecessors. England, the other day, tested a new gun which dropped a projectile—oh, Mars only knows how many miles from the firing point. Nothing was said as to the increased cost of each individual shot. There is no glory in that. The names of warships should be chosen according to a different system if public sentiment is to be directed toward the financial burden of arma- ment. If the taxpayer read daily in his newspaper such naval intelligence s “The new dreadnaught Insolvency was successfully launched yesterday,” or that “The armored cruisers First Mortgage, Deficiency, Moratorium and Indebtedness sailed to-day for West In- dian waters,” his mind might be kept from wandering and in time an idea would be planted in his head. Plant an idea deep enough in a taxpayer's head and there will be a harvest, espe- cially if the roots sink down as far as his pocketbook. Aviation Questions I Have Tried to Answer DON’T see any drive gear from the motor to the wheels. What makes the wheels turn around when you are on the ground? Ans.—They are made out of Ouija boards. What is that fan thing up front? Ans.—That is to keep the pilot cool when he is answering questions. How do you back up? Ans.—By flapping my ears. How does the earth look when you spiral ? Ans.—Ask any Congressman. Are there any laws governing avia- tion? Ans.—Yes, one. Gravitation. What, in your opinion, is the greatest need of flying? Ans.—Roadhouses. Do you get dizzy doing those awful stunts? Ans.—No, ma’am. ern dancing. So you’re in the Air Service! is your official capacity? Ans.—Two quarts. Did you ever catch up with a rain- bow? Ans.—Yes, one time, just three quarts of my way back from Cuba. But I must have mislaid it—I couldn't find it next day. Why did you give up mining for aviation? Ans.—My essential egotism. I’d rather fall on the earth than have it fall on me. Sherry Malone. I’m used to mod- What “Whut yer bin doin’, Sammy, since I bin gone?” “Nuffin.” “Whut you bin doin’, Mose?” “Assistin’ Sammy.” Ut tant, 4 S Street, banish Wor in sa relieve hills te next s yegem: two-ce More | and cle parlor ning m country withou are cor for sto way ye comicbooks.com