Life, 1922-02-16 · page 19 of 34
Life — February 16, 1922 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents four satirical "valentines" mocking prominent figures of 1920s American culture, drawn by cartoonist Ralph Barton. **Dr. Frank Crane** receives praise for distributing moralistic content—the satire suggests his public virtue-mongering is motivated purely by financial gain ("Wealth untold you're paid, per line"). **Florenz Ziegfeld**, famous theatrical producer, is criticized for announcing he'll stop producing shows after 1924, with ticket prices at five dollars—portrayed as good riddance. **William Hopwood** (appears to be a playwright) is mocked for profiting from bedroom comedies like "Getting Gertie's Garter," with the joke being his "royalties" grow as content becomes progressively worse. **John Wanamaker**, the Philadelphia department store magnate and advertising pioneer, is ridiculed for his ubiquitous advertising copy and sermonizing tone—readers allegedly check his ads daily despite hoping to escape them ("Would to God I had"). The satire targets commercialism and self-promotion disguised as morality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
tS Palentines Drawings by Ralph Barton Day you distribute praise "Mong clean books and wholesome plays. Honest toil and hard-earned gold, Kindness to the weak and old; Where would all the virtues be Without such publicity ? Wealth untold you're paid, per line, Won't you be my Valentine? Ss we're groggy from the blow Dealt us—by the famous Flo; After 1924, He announces, nevermore Will his shows our senses greet-— At a cost of five per seat. Hasten, Time, your onward drive— Welcome, 1925! Pat Hm. you must have loved, when small, Chalking words upon a wall! “Ladies’ Night” we owe to you, “Getting Gertie’s Garter,” too. Gaily gath’ring royalties On your bedroom phantasies, Ever heavier grows your purse As you go from bed to worse. Me don Wanamaker O* the advertising page Scintillates our dry goods sage. Not a text that Honest John Cannot write’a sermon on. Readers live from day to day Just to see what he will say. “Have you seen his last?” they cry. “Would to God I had,” say I. comicbooks.com