Life, 1923-01-04 · page 41 of 44
Life — January 4, 1923 — page 41: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece ridicules the hypocritical patriotism of American isolationists and protectionists. The subject claims to be fiercely "American" and opposes "foreign" goods, yet every aspect of his life—whisky from a Newark drugstore (bootleg, during Prohibition), English woolens from New England mills, "Havana" cigars made in Rhode Island, "French" pastry from Long Island—consists of either domestic knock-offs or foreign products domestically produced or relabeled. The joke exposes the absurdity of nationalist rhetoric: he votes for protective tariffs while unknowingly consuming foreign culture (Bach misattributed as contemporary), hates "foreign" anything, yet depends entirely on fake or rebranded imports. The satirist mocks those who champion isolationism and tariffs while their actual consumption patterns contradict their stated beliefs—a common target of 1920s-30s American satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Blind at >, my hat’s too large for me, so the boss bought me a dog to lead me around.” —Le Rire (Paris). The One Hundred and One Per Cent. American E drinks “Scotch” whisky that Awas made in the back room of a drug store in Newark, New Jer- sey He wears suits of the finest “Eng- lish” worsteds, raised in the fields of So Carolina and woven in the looms of Lowell, Massachusetts. Ile smokes genuine “Havana” ci- gars that were manufactured in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, of tobacco grown in Connecticut. lle is familiar with all the classics of European literature because they have been vividly interpreted by a continuity writer in Hollywood, rnia. e eats “French” pastry that was ed in the basement of a Jewish essen in Long Island City. Ile smokes a certain brand of ‘ow York-made cigarettes because are said to cost a shilling in by noted specialist. Tells how to FEED AND TRAIN keep Hi HEALTHY ‘URE. DOG. DISEASES temper. Gives twenty-Bve famous Q-W DOG REMEDIES pels) Phone Pl Vlora Fe Q-W LABORATORIES Dept. 19 Bound Brook, New Jersey Ledoratory tests have conclusively proved that For- mamine actually kills throat germs = thus _prevent- ing infection Ifyou could see the germs in your throat Wirt the naked eye cannot see, the micro- scope reveals—literally millions of germs even in a healthy throat. You need not feel alarmed because of this. But youshould realize the hidden danger of infection which may become real, the moment weakness or exposure breaks down the re- sistance of the body. Be prepared and use For- mamint, the gernkilling throat tablet, which acts as the 6—= guardian of your health by destroying the germs of infection that ever seek to invade your system by way of the throat. Littletablets,scientificallycom- pounded, which pleasantly dis- solve in the mouth, release a powerful, yet harmless, germicide that penetrates with the saliva into every fold, nook and crevice of the throat, checking germ growth, killing germ life with never-failing thoroughness. If you have a weak or irritated throat, Formamint will soothe and relieve it. Whenever there is danger of infection, Forma- mint will help protect you. And remember—thousands of physi- cians in Europe and America recognize the principle of Formamint as scientific and thoroughly effective, and have so stated in letters and text books. Write today for trial tube To acquaint you with Formamint we will send a trial eube on receipt of 4c in stamps, to defray the cost of mailing. Address The sical Co., £18 W. 28th St., New York, N.Y. ormamint GERM-KILLING THROAT TABLETS Formamint is our Trademark—It identifies our product that were constructed in Grand Ra- pids, Michigan. He sports a gray felt hat from Danbury, Connecticut, because he once saw a similar model in a photo- graph of the Prince of Wales in the rotogravure section. He sings a popular song entitled, “Kiss Me Like My Daddy Does,” published in New York, but written originally in 1738 by Johann Sebas- tian Bach. He hates everything that may be classed as “foreign.” He believes in isolation. He voted for a high protective tariff. R. ELS. Propaganda! Scuemer: As I see it, there is only one way by which we may hope to secure a repeal of the Volstead law. TurrstLy: What's that? “Make the women believe that massaging their faces with beer and light wines will be good for the complexion.” Stop, Look and Listen Wits: There goes Bump, the man who made a million out of an idea. Gitu1s: So? What was the idea? “That he didn’t know it all.” comicbooks.com