Life, 1923-03-08 · page 10 of 37
Life — March 8, 1923 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon depicts a crowded scene of men in dark coats and hats gathered together, apparently discussing or reacting to a crisis. The caption references "coal situation" and "transportation troubles," suggesting this relates to a coal strike or shortage affecting fuel distribution. The accompanying article titled "Grim Possibilities" mentions a character named Wryman, described as gloomy and obsessed with catastrophic theories about atomic explosions and relativity. The text satirizes his pessimistic worldview and tendency toward doomsaying. Without a specific date visible, the exact historical coal crisis referenced is unclear, but this appears to comment on early-20th-century labor unrest and transportation infrastructure problems affecting fuel supplies—serious economic concerns treated here with satirical humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Transportation Troubles Add to the Seriousness of the Coal Situation Grim Possibilities RYMAN is a gloomy, metaphysical fellow; inde- finably, he reminds me of picric acid. Anyhow, he is forever maintaining that the Universe is altogether in a bad way. He delights in catastrophes and hopes that somebody will soon explode an atom. Since the recent eclipse of the sun, Wryman has been hounding me with the theory of Relativity. Some of his statements are very remarkable. As a matter of fact they have reduced me to nervousness to such an extent that already my wife stupidly suspects me of mischief. Yesterday, she discharged the parlor-maid. “We live in an atmosphere of unrealities.” Thus Wryman, appreciatively. “Make ready to scrap your watches, maps, and calendars. All of them are false, because Time and Space are the same thing. Astrono- mers will prove this to your satisfaction once they have finished with their photographs of the eclipse. Einstein knew what he was talking about when he said that Time and Space are one.” Now I don’t believe that Einstein ever said anything of the kind. If he did, I hope that the astronomers may usher him down the corridors of History as a liar of the first order. Just consider this for a minute. ee . .. Mr. Deems closed his desk with a bang. Hur- riedly consulting the Fifth Dimension, he discovered to his horror that it was precisely 42nd Street and Broadway. In eighty-one miles his train was due to leave. Mr. Deems ran from his office and raced madly down the Noon. The elevator was out of com- mission and Mr. Deems, negotiating the staircase six degrees at a time, tripped and fell. They located him in the basement. He had fallen a distance of half-past four. It was elicited at the hospital that the unfortu- nate man had suffered a compound fracture of his Twilight. There were also severe contusions be- tween his April 2nd and 9:30 p. m. Later at the Meridian he peacefully expired. RK That’s the kind of thing that Wryman augurs. It really is too much to bear. Let us all vote against it. i J. P.H. Homo Sapiens Tue boy and girl fell in love. Secretly, the boy was glad that, although the girl was a trifle plump, she would never resemble her mother, who was a rather stupid, fat old dowager. . They have a daughter now. Secretly, her father is glad that, although his daughter is a trifle plump, she will never resemble her mother, who is a rather stupid, fat old dowager. comicbooks.com a eerie th