Life, 1922-02-16 · page 23 of 34
Life — February 16, 1922 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Main Article:** "A Proposal to Any Member of the Cabinet" is a satirical open letter offering a cabinet member a lucrative salary ($250,000 plus commission) to "reorganize" the bootlegging industry during Prohibition. The satire mocks how the government has appointed czars to reform controversial industries (baseball's Judge Landis, motion pictures' Postmaster-General Hays). The joke: bootlegging—illegal alcohol distribution—is treated as a legitimate "business" needing moral rehabilitation, implying the lucrative illegal trade is effectively part of the economy. **"Fable":** A cynical short story about an editor who reflexively rejects every idea from writers and artists, then dismisses his own idea by habit before leaving. The moral ("Auks were not meant to be eagles") suggests accepting one's limitations—or critiques editorial gatekeeping's absurdity. **Cartoon ("Just Their Luck"):** Two figures walk in rain to check a clock's accuracy, only to find it stopped. Visual humor about Murphy's Law-style bad timing. The page satirizes Prohibition-era hypocrisy and editorial/institutional rigidity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE .- A Proposal to Any Member of the Cabinet Who Is Looking for a Fat Job EAR MR. SECRETARY: We desire to make an offer to you which we think will be of benefit to the general public as well as to yourself. As you know, the baseball industry fell into grave disre- pute irom vile practices, and this condition was remedied by the payment of a large salary to Judge Landis as referee. Later the motion picture industry was supposed to have suf- fered in the same way, the public generally resenting play- ful booze parties. This unpleasant situation has been entirely changed by the placing of the whole matter in the hands of Postmaster-General Hays at a nice salary. Then, too, Secretary Hoover is going to save Philadelphia by managing its Sesquicentennial. 3ut there is another and a greater work in store for some such man as you, of massive brain and sympathetic under- standing. The business of supplying vinous, spiritous and malt liquors to the American public is in danger of suffering from ihe same criticism that was levelled at the baseball sport and the motion picture industry. This, as you know, is a very important business in the United States. We understand that it now constitutes the bulk of our foreign commerce and a very large portion of our domestic comuierce, and is about the only line showing undiminished demand and good profits. Now, what shall be done to elevate the moral tone of the bootlegging industry? That rests with you. We think you are the man to do it. We should be willing to pay you a salary of $250,000 and 234% commission on gross income. We should like to have you lose no time in considering this proposition and suggest that you endeavor to arrange your affairs so that you can begin the reorganization of the bootlegging industry coin- cidentally with the work of Secretary Hays in reorganizing the motion picture industry, to wit: on March 4, 1922. Yours very sincerely, Hootcuy Koorcny & Co, Fable N editor sat in front of his desk, which was piled high with forgotten manuscripts and drawings. Came a writer to the editor. The writer had an Idea. “No...” said the editor, “it won't do.” The writer but- toned his overcoat and departed. After the writer came an artist. . ..” said the editor, “it won't do.” hat and departed. To the editor came many men—writers, artists, cartoon- ists, essayists, poets and poetasters. ch one had an Idea. And to each one the editor said, “No . . . it won't do.” Finally, toward the end of the day, an Idea came of itself to the editor. “No .. .” said the editor from habit, or cus- tom, or tradition, or what you will, “it won't do.” And he slammed down the top of his desk and went home. Morat: Auks were not meant to be eagles. H.W. H. He had an Idea. “No The artist put on his Just Their Luck To walk half a mile in the rain to get the correct time and find the darned thing has stopped. comicbooks.com