Life, 1923-07-26 · page 5 of 42
Life — July 26, 1923 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts two anthropomorphic animals (a monk and a hippo) discussing lodging accommodations. The monk states he wants "a room and a bath," to which the hippo replies "haven't you a bath without the room?" This appears to be satirizing post-WWI housing scarcity or luxury accommodations pricing—a common complaint during the 1920s when housing was expensive relative to wages. The surrounding text contains brief political commentary, including jabs at President Harding's homesickness in Alaska, Congressional trips to Europe, and the abolition of the twelve-hour workday in steel industries. These items reflect typical Life magazine satire of early 1920s American politics and business practices, critiquing government spending and labor disputes of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HERE is much complaint in Eng- land because the Prince of Wales refuses to marry. It would seem that the son never settles down in the British Empire. aL We hear that President Harding has been home-sick in Alaska. The gla- ciers remind him of his dear old col- leagues, Calvin Coolidge and Charles Evans Hughes. aL Shelby, Montana, having gone broke on the battle of July 4th, is now con- sidering going out after Mr. Bok’s $100,000 peace prize. aL The winner of the Bok prize will probably invest his $100,000 in a good, sound munitions factory. aL With Henry Ford as President of these United States, our foreign em- bassies will thenceforth be known offi- cially as Service Stations. 1 The New Slogan 'HEY'RE off, our Senators, off again With a Yo, Ho, Ho, for the bounding main! Now every care-free Congressman Has junketed on the Leviathan- “To study conditions,” the papers say— And while the tax-payers pay and pay, They're off to Europe, they’re off to Nome— And you may hear, from the Capitol dome, This bold, exuberant message hurl- ed: “Join the World.” Senate—and See the L Business goes on as usual in the steel industry, which has just filed its an- nual promise to the President to abolish the twelve-hour day. eC ASHING machines, says a re- port, are now being made which can take care of 350 shirts at once. Well, something had to be done with the whippet tanks left over from the war. aL A jury in Yonkers has decided that the wife has a legal right to rule the home. This makes it practically unan- imous. aL Pussyfoot Johnson has gone to Africa to dry the place up. We fear that it will be no light task. As the Gov- ernor of Morocco said to the Gover- nor of Somaliland, “It’s a long time between oases.” JL Tests made by the French government show that one kilowatt of electrical energy is capable of shearing twenty- five sheep an hour, thus establishing the kilowatt as the only formidable rival of the American bucket shop. Mr. Monk: 1 supPOSE YOU WANT A ROOM AND A BATH. Mr. Hippo; HAVEN’T YOU A BATH WITHOUT THE ROOM? comicbooks.com