Life, 1923-12-06 · page 35 of 84
Life — December 6, 1923 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical "Life Lines"—brief political and social jokes—plus two literary pieces. **Key satirical references:** - **Andrew J. Volstead**: The congressman behind Prohibition; the joke mocks his irrelevance after passing the 18th Amendment. - **"They shall not pass—the buck"**: A French slogan joke playing on WWI's "They shall not pass," transformed to mock French reluctance to pay war debts. - **K.K.K. reference**: Equates American fascism with the Ku Klux Klan, suggesting both are gaining ground domestically. - **Klan joke**: Dark wordplay suggesting the Klan's ignorance ("what they keep under their hat"). - **The dog photograph**: Captioned "Is that Santa Claus, Mama?"—likely mocking something contemporary, though unclear from image alone. The literary pieces include a poem about a young poet's success and a Christmas carol. The overall tone is satirical commentary on 1920s American politics, Prohibition, international relations, and fascism's rise.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life Lines V HEN asked for a statement on his return from Europe, Andrew J. Volstead remarked, “Nobody cares what I say.” So the secret is out at last! aL The new Freach slogan is, “They shall not pass—the buck.” aL Lapland, we hear, is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. How many Lapps to the mile? JL Fascismo has spread to Japan, where it is known as “Yitsugyo Doshikai.” It is also gaining ground rapidly in these United States, the local term for it being K. K. K. aL The only thing wrong with the Klan is what they keep under their hat. aL \ great drought in Ceylon has caused erious shortage in the cocoanut crop. \nd so another popular song is born! JL ying again. That fellow seems to have more lives than Plutarch. dL The new twelve-mile arrangement with Great Britain is evidently intended to take the treat out of treaty. aL It is estimated that 2,400,000 persons in \merica play Mah Jong. If all their tiles were laid end to end, it would be interesting to know how far these en- thusiasts would reach. aL The last home run of the must be credited to Prince. 1923 season aL Filling one of the world’s greatest ceds, the Associated Knit Underwear Manufacturers of America have ap- pointed a Committee on Nomenclature » educate the public in the correct under-garment phraseology. Most people have been able to distin- guish between brands only by the tickle. aL The Belgian firm which intends to start : brewery in the Congo is reported to he at lager-heads with the missionaries. aL The time of year is approaching when contracts are let for the annual repave- ment of hell. “Is THAT SANTA CLAUS, MAMA?” “Autre Temps, "THE new young poet lay back ex- hausted from his labor; he had just conceived, given birth to, and christened a first book of poems, hand- tooled, limp-leathered, gilt-edged and gold-embossed, and the world, not con- tent with merely hewing a pathway to his door, had entered his holy of holies, and put to him, concerning his work, questions more intimate and searching than those propounded by a physician to a woman patient. Press photographers gathered round him, too, begging to be allowed to take pictures of him, in and out of his bath, on and off the links, with and without his wife. They had no sooner gone than the poet, wishing to rest his nerves and refresh his mind, took down from his book-shelf the fragmentary “Life” of an artist, and happened on the page Autre Meurs”’ wherein that giant of other days di: misses’ the greatest achievement 0’ perhaps, his or any other artist's lif time with these few words indited to his father in a spirit of filial duty: “I have finished the chapel I w painting and the Pope seems pleased with it. Your obedient Michel- angelo Buonarroti,” and the poet, being a nice young man, blushed for his age. son, Dorothy Taylor. Christmas Cheer AH! Rah! Rah! And three more rahs! For that Yule-tide rascal, Santa Claus! Chimney snooper, Carol whooper, Santa Claus! Rah! Rah! Santa Claus! Rah! comicbooks.com