Life, 1922-08-31 · page 24 of 36
Life — August 31, 1922 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page contains political satire from the early 1920s targeting Bolshevism and its leaders. "The Bolsheboche" poem mockingly describes a hybrid creature combining Bolshevik and "boche" (German) characteristics—representing fear that revolutionary communism and German militarism were allied threats to Western democracies. The poem satirizes what the author saw as the paradox of Bolshevism: despite military defeats, it gained diplomatic influence, particularly through negotiations at Genoa and the Netherlands. The reference to "L.G." (likely Lloyd George, British Prime Minister) suggests Western leaders were being manipulated by communist negotiators. The illustration below shows people on a motorcycle, likely a period joke about escaping urban chaos—contrasting with the political anxieties expressed above. The "Horoscope" and "Do Not Delay" sections offer lighter satirical commentary on contemporary American life, profiteering, and the Ku Klux Klan, but the page's central focus is anti-Bolshevik propaganda typical of post-WWI Western publications.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Horoscope for This Week )-DAY marks the beginning of the veronal equinox (Lat. night- mare) and hence is a great day for sleeping late. Owing to the fact that a rapid lunar transit of Venus is offset by a sharp solar plexus of Sa- turn, the zodiac is more than usually excited and feverish, which makes for the prosperity of profiteers, poli- ticians, second-story workers, and members of the Ku Klux Klan. A poor time is in store for Armenians, striking coal miners, revenue offi- cers, and harness makers, who ap- pear to be out of luck as long as the constellations remain what they are. Those whose birthday it is are distinguished by moral idealism, and more often than not are good, clean home folks who realize that the voice with the smile wins and that the Golden Rule bears six per cent. in- terest compounded semi-annually. They must be on their guard, how- ever, against indiscretion and decep- tion, and if literate, not sign any documents, petitions, or letters with- out considering how they would look in the Sunday magazine section of the Hearst papers. Children born on this day will al- most immediately be very fond of warm milk, and say all sorts of cute things up to the age of six. E. E. P., Jr. Do Not Delay OW is the time to begin to save . for Christmas. If one starts to save now he will be able to buy tickets for the World Series in October, the Yale-Harvard game in November, and redeem his winter overcoat. Indeed, the fellow who ppreciates the value of Christ- s saving will soon have enough money to pay off the debts he con- tracted last Christmas time, thereby placing himself in a position to bor- row enough to buy this year’s pres- ents, “Isn't the country soothing, Arthur, after the noise and turmoil of the city?” The Bolsheboche (Poor Poll!) Now the Bolsheboche Is quite A henterprising Bird, With two fat ’eads, Two faces, And a voice That’s heard In all the Comiconferences ‘Ere and there, Demanding that we treat Poor Poll quite fair. é Yes! Fair. ‘ His “Bolshe” part Ti Is somewhat like the be Carrion crow; "Is “boche” resembles Nothing ornithog We know. His favorite drink Is hydropolitic, Dry, light. In oxygenoa ’is Long-wind lungs delight. And naught on earth Fulfils ’is pleasure Like a fight! Now ’ere’s the puzzling Paradox of Bolshie’s battles; The more ’e loses, More victorious Grow his wattles ’E dictates terms To victors,— Gets away with It! And with L.G. That rara avis Makes a hit. The wise man Notes the past And dryly Asks us all: “W'ot haps To those That trust The promise Of Poor Poll? For ’aving been— At Genoa— The Nations’ plague, In ’Olland he’s Quite apt To give us all The ’Ague!” comicbooks.com