Life, 1922-12-07 · page 76 of 80
Life — December 7, 1922 — page 76: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page, primarily advertisements and short humor pieces, reflects early 1920s American life under Prohibition (1920-1933). **"It Must Be Wonderful To Be A Detective"** satirizes how Prohibition created a new detective industry to enforce alcohol laws. The author mockingly fantasizes about detective work—shadowing suspects, finding clues in shoelaces, catching criminals—but the joke's punch line reveals the real target: detecting "decent non-alcoholic drink." This mocks both the absurdity of Prohibition enforcement and the poor quality of legal substitutes like "near-beer." **"Maxims of a Dry Age"** directly lampoons Prohibition through wordplay. Phrases like "Necessity is the mother of abstention" and "Near-beer is better than none" are cynical reversals acknowledging that Prohibition failed—people still drank illegally ("Never put off till to-morrow what you can brew to-day"). The title "Dry Age" refers to Prohibition itself. Together, these pieces mock federal alcohol prohibition as unenforceable and ridiculous, a common satirical stance in *Life* during this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Hor Christan Giving or for Pour Own Library UNIFORM EDITIONS OF THE NOVELS OF A. S. M. HUTCHINSON THIS FREEDOM The novel that every one is reading. “This Freedom” has already been the subject of five editorials in The New York Times, women’s clubs are debat- ing its thesis, and ministers everywhere are preaching sermons on its theme. “This Freedom” is not only the most discussed book of the year but it is also the best selling novel throughout the English speaking world. IF WINTER COMES The great novel of last Fall and this Spring—still a best seller on at least three continents. The New York Times calls it: “One of the best books of our times.” ONCE ABOARD THE LUGGER Heywood Broun says: “ ‘Once Aboard the Lugger’—is one of the merriest books ever written.” THE HAPPY WARRIOR EB. Edgett in The Boston Transcript says: “A great story which must surely win for its author a high place among the novelists whose work endures.” THE CLEAN HEART The New York Sun says: “Power and strength and humor and human nature are here.” Regular Edition. Cloth. Each, $2.00 Pocket Edition. Limp Leather. Each, $2.50 For Sale At All Booksellers An interesting booklet about A. 8. M. HUTCHIN- SON will be sent free on request LITTLE, BROWN & COMPANY Publishers : : : Boston Cultivate, Your | Musical “Bum Play @ Tune in One Hour MaNosome mail this ad to us with your name and address — send no money—and we will send you this fine Razor for 30 gays FREE trial, When satisfied after using, send $1. 95, ‘Order today. American Hazor Werks, Dopt. N31, 1878 Ogden Ave..Chieayo It Must Be Wonderful To Be A Detective T must be wonderful to be a de- tective. It must be wonderful to be able to wear a wig and false beard. How I should love to sit in the back room of a saloon, tossing off seidel after seidel of near-beer, be- hind yesterday’s newspaper, while I overheard the diabolical plot of three radical Slovaks to blow up the Jap- anese Garden of the Ritz. I should adore to track a strangler of babies to his lair. I should love to pick up a clue. And I wouldn’t care where it might lead me. I have been told that a shoelace is one of the best of clues. I should go about scrutinizing ev- erybody’s shoelaces. It would be such fun. It must be wonderful to expose the suave and nonchalant rogue as he is in the act of lifting ‘his -host- ess’ rope of pearls. A detective’s life is so adventur- ous. He is always on the qui vive. He is always outwitting the rascal. And he’s always got something up his sleeve. I should love to creep about in gum shoes. I should love to shadow someone. It must be so exciting. I should like to catch some schem- ing bank president with the goods, It must be wonderful to be a des ective. How I should love to detect some decent non-alcoholic drink. CGS. Maxims of a Dry Age A drinking man will clutch at a straw. It’s the deception that proves the rule. Necessity is the mother of absten- tion. Internal revenue is the price of liberty. Forty-rod will spoil the child. A good brew needs no Busch. One swallow makes a sinner. It’s a poor recipe that won’t work in two days. A snitch in time ‘saves a fine. Never put off till to-morrow what you can brew to-day. There’s no suppressing of tastes. Near-beer is better than none. S.K. Louise: Did Clare do as you told her to, and not give you any Christmas present? Jutta: Yes, the stingy pig. CAREY PRINTING CO., BETHLEHEM, PA, E will be glad to receive a pair of Boston Garters packed in an attrac. tive holiday box. No matter what else you give, get this little remembrance for every man on your Christmas list, At stores everywhere, Boston Garter If one of your tires is carrying more weight than the other three be- cause of less air in the tube, it is being driven to f premature destruction. The weight of the car should rest EVENLY on all four tires. In order to have even pressure, you should measure it with a TWITCHELL AIR GAUGE 1.25 At all dealers The Twitchell Gauge Co. 1516 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago inehuest NORTH _ CAROLINA Winter Homes For Sale and for Rent A. S. NEWCOMB & COMPANY el comicbooks.com