Life, 1923-02-01 · page 11 of 40
Life — February 1, 1923 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical fable criticizes wealthy farmer "Old Man Privilege" who exploits an impoverished rural laborer named Grimnab through harsh working conditions (8-hour shifts before and after noon) and meager food rations. When Grimnab seeks sympathy and help, Privilege dismisses him, offering only cruel mockery—literally telling him to "get off'n my back" by throwing a rock at him. The cartoon below depicts the consequence: Grimnab, now joined by a mob of fellow workers ("They're just here to see that I get a square deal"), confronts Privilege with collective action and threat of violence ("Now we're goin' to fight!"). The satire warns wealthy landowners that exploitation breeds working-class solidarity and eventual uprising. It reflects early 20th-century American labor tensions and socialist critique of agricultural wealth inequality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE - Fables for Farmers HEN Old Man Privilege was firmly seated on the shoulders of Grinbad the Granger, with a stranglehold on the neck of the unfortunate-ruralist, he immediately became very solicitous about the welfare of his charge. He established the eight-hour day ;—eight hours before noon and eight after, and was careful to supply him with enough food to enable ‘him to work hard. He created a Weather Bureau to furnish a varied assort- ment of rainy, clear and hot days, so that there would be no lack of crops. An Agricultural Department was organized to teach Grinbad’s grandmother the latest scientific method of sucking eggs. A staff of Welfare Workers, composed of the best little Uplifters available, was assigned to the task of inculcating anti-race-suicide principles among the barnyard fowls. Realizing that possession of too much wealth by a farmer leads to idleness and extravagance, special taxes were devised that promoted industry and thrift by taking from Grin- bad everything that he produced beyond the bare neces- sities of existence. Despite all these charitable efforts for his good Grinbad grumbled and complained against his kind benefactor. “Ungrateful wretch that thou art,” said the Old Man, “have I not done everything in my power to make you happy and contented? Even now am I not planning to give you still greater pros- perity by enabling you to go deeper in my debt? Cease your repining, and hustle out to the cornfield.” “Much obliged for your sympathy,” rejoined Grinbad, “but I feel that I really don’t deserve it. I don’t want no more good advice, nor none of them helpful sug- gestions. All I want from you,” he grunted, reaching for a chunk of jagged rock the size of a sugarbowl, “Gs for you to get off’n my back.” W.G. “Now we're goin’ to fight!” “W-what’s the gang for?” “They're just here to see that I get a square deal.” comicbooks.com