Life, 1923-05-03 · page 13 of 40
Life — May 3, 1923 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a grotesque bird (likely representing bureaucratic government) labeled "Bureau of Social Hygiene" being kept out by a "Keep Out" sign. The bird wears official regalia and appears absurd and unwelcome. This satirizes the U.S. government's "Bureau of Social Hygiene," a real Progressive-era agency involved in public health and morality campaigns. The cartoon criticizes government overreach into private affairs—the exaggerated, intrusive bird character suggests the bureau's policies were seen as ridiculous interference. The bottom cartoon, titled "The Non-Stop Dancer Who Holds All Records," depicts exhausted taxpayers supporting a reckless dancer, satirizing wasteful government spending and the burden placed on ordinary citizens. These reflect 1920s skepticism toward expanding federal bureaucracy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Things LIFE Would Rather Like to Know HETHER the spirit photog- raphers have to say, “Look pleasant, please.” xe * Just what Solomon’s wives would have thought about the Lucy Stone League. *** Why bulletins describing Premier Lenin's condition as “satisfactory” cannot be taken two ways. xe * If the latest activities of the Bur- eau of Social Hygiene should not be listed as impropaganda. *** How much long-distance dancers pay the piper. *** If it would be a kind act to notify the police before an important mur- der: *** Why not a close season for both oysters and clans. Speaking of Paris (Recollections of a Week-end) HE omelette Paysanne at the little restaurant in the Rue d'Artois. .. .the three quarts of Moét I consumed during dinner at Larue’s the moules Mariniers at Prunier’s .. the driver of my taxi who brazenly ran over a policeman. . . .the brunette femme de chambre who brought me hot water in the morning. . . .the “inturiators” at the New York Bar in the Rue Daunou. . . .the cello player at Le Lapin Agile. . . .Raquel Meller’s violet song. . . .the neck of the leading woman in “Le Jardin des Suppli at the Grand Guignol. . . ork of the Hon. W. G. Harding in the Musée Guignol. . . . “Goosie, Goosie Gander, Whither do you wander? the necktie of the curator of the Bibliothéque des Curieux the Monkey Glands at Maxim’s. . . .the Saratoga chips at the Crillon bar... . the umbrella I left. at Zelli’s. . . .the nine cointreaux I engulfed during the entr’acte of “Oh! Quel Nu!” ... the purple dress coat in the window of Jack de New York... . the girl in the post-card shop in the Passage DANCING Upstairs and downstairs And in my lady's chamber.” . the get-up of the served the Turkish cof- fee at Ciro’ he rubber dolls next to the Olymp: . the girl from Du- luth who had completely forgotten how to speak English. . . .the coal- hole in the Rue des Saints Péres I fell through on my way heme in the morning. ..the note from my bankers announcing that I had overdrawn. des Panoram Ethiope wh PAWILION MANAGEMENT U.S. GOVERNMENT. The Non-Stop Dancer Who Holds All Records comicbooks.com