Life, 1923-02-15 · page 23 of 36
Life — February 15, 1923 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1923 *Life* satire mocks Congress by presenting mock "Game Laws" treating politicians as huntable game. The top cartoon depicts a gas-station attendant confronting a driver about fuel consumption—a setup for the joke below. The article's author receives outdated 1922 game laws from his congressman in 1923, prompting satirical revenge: proposing hunting seasons for congressmen themselves. The "open seasons" list ridicules contemporary political targets: the U.S. Army, soldiers' bonuses, the Ku Klux Klan, employment issues, pork-barrel spending, and tariffs. The "no open season" list includes Henry Cabot Lodge (a senator), Prohibition, and lynching—suggesting these topics are too controversial or protected to critique openly. The satire attacks congressional dysfunction, waste, favoritism, and complicity with groups like the KKK during the 1920s resurgence. It's essentially calling politicians fair game for public criticism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Yer car needs gas, mister.” “That car had five gallons of gas the day before yesterday and that’s every dam’ drop it’s HAVE just received a copy of the Game Laws for 1922 from my Congressman. Of course it is now 1°23, but the government printer probably had a lot of extra copies hand, and it doesn’t cost any- thing to mail them, and anyhow, the old gentleman wanted to show his appreciation of my voting for him last November. I would have voted for him too, if it hadn’t been that I had gone around in 82 the day before, and found myself in our lection Day Tournament. (I might dd that it was the only time I did ‘ind myself all that day.) These game laws make for read- ng that is at once interesting and entertaining. Two examples picked it random show (1) that one buck is the game limit in Maryland, which vould seem to disprove the theory that the Marylanded gentry are in the habit of playing for high stakes ; (2) that introduced pheasants may be shot in Alabama from November going to get till to-morrow!” Game Laws for Game Lawyers 15 to December 14, and my only comment on that is that the game wardens and hunters must know their birds darn well to remember who has been introduced and who hasn’t! And what should a hunter do if he meets a bird he doesn't know? Cut him dead, I suppose, so long as he can’t kill him with his gun. Although my Congressman is get- ting pretty well along in years now— he is apparently so feeble that he has to use a rubber stamp to sign his name—he is always dong little kindnesses of that sort for me, and this last gift of sporting law has determined me on a course of re ciprocal activity. So I am submitting this set of Game Laws for Congressmen. You often read of their going gunning after one thing or another, and this bit of exclusive legislation for them should be greatly appreciated, as it will settle the question, once and for all, as to what constitutes fair game for our federal administrative bodies and what does not: Open SEASONS 1923 We "So ALtny, cscrssesoseessesssssieu atte: 1 tO Dec. 31 incl. Soldiers’ Bonus ........006 Every third week. Ku Klux Klan Employment .. Pork ..... Now and then. -During strikes. «Just before every election. Whenever a conistituent is looking. No Oren Season Henry Cabot Lodge, General Saw- yer, Prohibition, Franking privileges, Pork (except as above indicated), Filibusters, Hospitalization “ex- perts,” Congressmen, Senators, Lyrtiching. A.C.M. A. comicbooks.com