Life, 1923-04-12 · page 11 of 40
Life — April 12, 1923 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the early 20th-century "back to the land" movement—a romantic ideal promoted by urban enthusiasts who believed farming was a profitable, wholesome alternative to city life. The cartoon's vignettes mock this ideology by showing reality: failed real-estate schemes ("Heavy paper work at General Headquarters"), people playing games instead of working ("A game of draughts—with the chimney an easy champion"), failed crops ("The bumper crop" showing minimal harvest), and physical hardship. The repeated caption—"Back to the Land Is a Good Idea If the Land Doesn't Land Unexpectedly"—undercuts the movement's optimism. The satire suggests that actual farming involves bureaucracy, disappointment, and financial loss rather than the promised pastoral simplicity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The truth, the whole truth and anything but—from the real-estate agent. “Sweet and ‘ Low,” or “The A game of draughts Chloroform Lin- —with the chimney iment Blues.” an easy champion. Heavy paper work at General Head- quarters. Somebody page Rich- ard III—here’s an ex- ceptional bargain. an ~~ pie The wax Beans wax, but . “Back to the Land"—the the enthusiasm wanes. Cherchez la Farm proper interpretation. Back to the Land Is a Good Idea If the Land Doesn’t Land Unexpectedly comicbooks.com