Life, 1923-09-13 · page 32 of 36
Life — September 13, 1923 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Main Content:** The page features a **Listerine advertisement** disguised as editorial content, using a narrative about workplace discomfort caused by halitosis (bad breath). The accompanying photograph shows a man and woman at a desk; the woman appears visibly uncomfortable. The ad's message: bad breath damages professional relationships, but Listerine solves this "insidious" problem. **Literary Satire Section:** "Rhymed Reviews" mocks modernist authors—particularly **James Joyce** (Ulysses) and **Dostoevsky**—through the persona of a doctor psychoanalyzing writers. The satire ridicules both the authors' psychological neuroses and the trend of applying Freudian analysis to literature. D.H. Lawrence receives particular criticism for "propaganda." **Humor Piece:** "How to Handle a Bride's Biscuits" is absurdist satire about inedible wedding gifts, suggesting humorous (illegal) uses: selling as coal, feeding to bootleggers as punishment, discovering oil wells. The page exemplifies 1920s Life: mixing advertisements with literary criticism and topical humor reflecting Prohibition-era concerns and modernism's cultural anxiety.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
He made her uneasy HE never felt comfortable And as a matter of fact she never could do her best work for him. Simply because there was something about him that dis- turbed her. He was polite and well-man- nered in every way. He was kind and considerate of her. In a business way her position was practically ideal. All except for this one thing. And he himself was no doubt quite unconscious about it all. That's the insidious thing about halitosis (unpleasant breath). You, yourself, rarely know when you have it. And even your closest friends won't tell you. Sometimes, of course, _ halitosis comes from some deep-seated organic disorder that requires professional ad- vice. But usually—and fortunately— halitosis is only a local condition that yields to the regular use of Listerine as a mouth wash and gargle. It is an interesting thing that this well-known antiseptic that has been in use for years for surgical dres ings, possesses these peculiar prop- erties as a breath deodorant. It halts food fermentation in the mouth and leaves the breath sweet, fresh and clean. So the systematic use of Lis- terine puts you on the safe and polite side. You know your breath is right. Fastidious people everywhere are making it a regular part of their daily routine—Lambert Pharmacal Company, Saint Louis, U. S. A. LISTERINE pil) 13) |) 2) Dali Rhymed Reviews The Doctor Leoks at Literature By Joseph Collins Geo. H. Doran Co. A wortuy brain physician looks Away from common soul-sick blighters, To vivisect some noted books And psychoanalyze their writers. And when he has them analyzed, And tagged in scientific diction, For wi they are,—you'd be sur- . prised To learn what ails our modern fiction. The egocentric Joyce, we find, Has plumbed the deepest dark abysses Within his foul subconscious mind To pen his masterpiece, “Ulysses.” While Dostoievsky, on the whole, Although his | monsters sin so queerly, Has strained the inmost Russian soul— I guess he’s strained it quite severely. Then certain ladies writing prose. Reveal, I gather, strange neuroses, Plus inhibitions, ‘libidos, And unconventional psychoses. He says, “It cannot yet be told— The truth Lawrence, rhat “Antinomian” uncontrolled Whose stuff is his, and my, abhor- concerning D. H rence. Because this author's works imply All sorts of horrid propaganda Of cults which Doctor C. and I Wilt not discuss with you, Amanda. So thus the Doctor views the scribes As through a glass a trifle hazy, And yet, for all his diatribes, I fear he likes his authors crazy. A. G. How to Handle a Bride’s Biscuits Prace biscuits in sieve. Dip in black shoe polish, Save until winter and sell for coal. Give the biscuits to some judge Judge sentences bootleggers to eat bis- cuits. Stops bootlegging. Put biscuits on street-car_ track. Hide behind building. Sell street cars to junk dealers. Climb to: roof of house. Let bis- cuit fall from parapet into back yard. If oil gushes out of hole you have an oil well. Open front door carefully. Place one biscuit before the door. Now the door will stay open, T. Si HEINZ Vinegars Topay a salad is a_ necessary course to a complete dinner, sup- er or luncheon. This is not only cause of its appetizing and re- freshing qualities but because cf its food value when properly pre- pees with good vinegar and olive ou. The choice materials used, the skill and care in preparation, th long aging in wood make Hein Vinegar rich, pure, mellow an an altogether superior product. The combination of Heinz Vin« gar and Heinz Olive Oil give your salad a delicious taste tha: cannot be surpassed. H. J. HEINZ COMPANY comicbooks.com