Life, 1923-05-10 · page 7 of 36
Life — May 10, 1923 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains satirical commentary by Will Rogers on 1920s social trends. The main article, "Bryan Was Right," references William Jennings Bryan and discusses the "Evolution Controversy"—likely the Scopes Monkey Trial debates about teaching evolution in schools. Rogers sardonically argues that recent events (the page mentions Prohibition's repeal and women's newfound freedoms) prove Bryan's warnings correct: modern civilization is declining. He mocks contemporary trends like women dancing, wearing shoes out quickly, and playing saxophone as evidence of moral decay. The cartoon below depicts a rural scene with the caption about "cows' noses" being shiny—likely satirizing rural/agricultural concerns amid rapid modernization. The satire targets both conservative alarm about social change and the absurdity of blaming civilization's problems on new fashions and pastimes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE Bryan Was Right By Will Rogers OW there was a stretch of years in there after Prohibition where W. J. Bryan had nothing to talk on, (You take a Lecturer without a subject and he is sunk.) Untill he conceived the idea of Evolution com- bined with Elocution, now W. J. must have got out and read some of his old Speeches made years ago, and de- cided that somebody ought to tell the People that we did not come from a Monkey, cause he was afraid some- body else might read some of them too, Now we dident pay much attention to what he was talking on we just figured he had these dates all booked before and had to fill them, But darned if the events of the last few weeks havent proved W. J. was right at that, When people all over the Country in what we considered a fairly civilized Country started in seeing how long they could dance and more feeble minded ones watched them do it, I tell you it proved Bryans theory more than all the Cross of Gold or Thorn of Silver Oratory in the world. *e* You never saw a Monkey dance all day in your life, not that they couldent do it more gracefully than alleged Humans but they are too smart, Of course come to think of it in all this Evolution Controversy the Monkeys them- selys have never claimed us, Now there is only two things that will make a Mother deny its off spring that is it aint hers, or she is ashamed to claim it, The hardest part of this dancing is staying awake thats why its our modern Girls that are excelling at it they dont sleep any how, This craze has done more to set Civilization back than Politics has, This generation will go down in history as proving that Women can Shoot straighter and dance longer than any previous Generation. eee For years they have been trying to find a substitute for Golf, Now they have it, This is just as exciting, no danger, proves nothing means nothing but still keeps you going, It has proven one thing just how quick a modern pair of Shoes will wear out if they are used, Now as a substitute for this dancing craze after they are all lodged safely in our Institutions, I propose a Saxaphone playing Contest each entry to play untill he is thoroughly dead, the most beautiful death getting the prize, You dont know what a popular thing that would prove, everybody would enter their man. Glory Be! “My cousin is living in Ireland, and says he is de- lighted.” “Delighted at living in Ireland?” “No! Delighted to be living!” “Mummie, may I have your powder a minute?” “Why, dear?” “Those poor cows’ noses are all shiny.” comicbooks.com