Life, 1923-05-10 · page 14 of 36
Life — May 10, 1923 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents five cartoon postcards supposedly from a California senator, mocking his European travels and provincial attitudes. The caricatured figure—drawn with exaggerated features—visits famous landmarks (Piccadilly Circus, Versailles, Venice, the Alps, and St. Mark's Square) yet constantly disparages European culture in favor of California. The satire ridicules American parochialism: despite witnessing world-renowned destinations, the senator complains that Paris bores him, German fruit isn't as tasty as California's, and London's sunshine wouldn't be tolerated back home. The joke targets isolationist attitudes and unsophisticated tourists who judge everything by narrow provincial standards, unable to appreciate international culture. The artist is credited as "Robert James Calder."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TCCREILLY A Collection of Post-Cards from the Distinguished Senator from California . What a silly place to have a circus. 2. Iam rather bored with Paris. The climate cannot compare with that of California, 3. A bond of fellowship developed between myself and another true isolationist which I found in the Alps. is depressing. Their frankfurters are neither so delicate nor so tasty as the native Cali- fornia fruit, 4. Germany 5. This unique postcard was taken in the Plaza of St. Mark's. ‘The sunshine here, while better than that of London, would not be tolerated in California. comicbooks.com