Life, 1922-07-27 · page 21 of 36
Life — July 27, 1922 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces targeting 1920s American society: **"Crooks' Book of Etiquette"** parodies etiquette guides by humorously applying genteel manners to burglary—advising thieves to avoid slamming doors, not jostle victims, and return a dime after robbing someone. The satire likely comments on Prohibition-era criminals operating with impunity, treating crime as almost respectable. **"That Ideal Neighbor"** describes a man perfectly suited to everyone—capable at every activity, generous with possessions—yet concludes "Nobody likes him." This paradoxical joke satirizes either impossible social expectations or the emptiness of performative perfection. **"Matrimonial Receiving Outfit"** uses radio technology metaphors to mock marriage communication problems, suggesting wives are incomprehensible static that require mechanical "adjustment"—a sexist joke about spousal discord. The **cartoon** shows Mr. Michelin (the tire company mascot, a rotund figure) surrounded by children playing with an oversized tire—corporate advertising disguised as editorial content. All pieces reflect 1920s concerns: Prohibition, consumerism, gender relations, and corporate influence.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Crooks’ Book of Etiquette “The police of New York yester- ia sly interrupted a course of stte which Rudolph C- of Vo. — W. —th St, was undergo- sith the idea of becoming a oman crook’ uptown.”—News Never slam doors. Enter and exit quietly. Remember the gallant house-breaker always allows folks their full quota of sleep. Never jostle passengers in the subway. Your truly polite pick- may be seen, but is never felt. 3. Never ask your man to throw p his hands without first saying, Please!” A sharp command may s the customer into a cry for elp. This will create a_ scene. ientlemen-burglars always avoid ck ock the dance, in removing a from partner’s neck, always wring your brightest mot on the uC In this way, the pearls will come off without notice, and your irtner will be spared a great deal annoyance. “It is almost the finition of a gentleman-burglar to he is one who never inflicts 4 At I 5. If your host surprises you in the act of surreptitiously sampling his pre-Volstead Burgundy at 3 a. M., ask him won't he have a little some- | thing himself, at the same time jovially remarking, “Who is your bootlegger?”—Win with Courtesy! 6. Never fail, after you have frisked a customer of his worldly ods, to return him a dime for his home. He will remember you | er itefully—Win with Kindness! | C. BOE. That Ideal Neighbor E is just old enough to suit the husbands and young enough to the wives. He has money enough to do everything the neigh- bors want to do, but not enough to | make any of them envious. | le is busy enough to be an ex- aniple to the lazy husbands and leis- urcly enough to make a good com- | panion for them. He can lend any kind of automobile or garden tool; | can play chess, checkers, crib- | | { suit baye, bridge, pinochle, poker, golf, nnis and roque. He can dance, swim, and ride; he likes to fish and lows just where to go for bait, canned or bottled. He can change a tire and start an unstartable car. LIFE He admires everybody's children and everybody's house, lawn, pic- tures, books, cars, dogs and putters. He is the ideal neighbor. There is only one disagreeable thing about him. Nobody likes him. Advice to Worriers RAY list to me a modest while; I fain would spill an earful: Don’t worry—cultivate a smile— Be always bright and cheerful. When things are looking dour and black, Then you be blithe and hearty; Just slap me gaily on the back— The life of every party. Let naught your cheery nature spoil; Be always gay and chipper .. . And I'll supply the boiling oil, If someone has a dipper. G. S. K. 19 How to Secure and Operate a Matrimonial Receiving Outfit O you have any trouble in com- municating with your wife? If so, it is no doubt due to the static, and also to the wave length; some matrimonial wave lengths are perma- nent and others are bobbed. There- fore, you must have a receiving out- fit that is quickly adjustable. A single outfit, such as we make, consists of a crystal temper detector, telling you when is the best moment to listen in, a lightning switch, which guards against thunder storms, and the proper antenna. By placing the receiver at your ear, and adjusting from one hun- dred vibrations up to a million, you can, in a short time, learn practically everything that your wife doesn't care whether you know or not. Price $80 with six hundred feet of matrimonial aerial. INTIMATE GLIMPSES OF AMERICAN GENERALS OF INDUSTRY No. 39 Mr. Michelin pauses in his stroll to be of service to the kiddies. comicbooks.com