Life, 1923-12-20 · page 17 of 36

Life — December 20, 1923 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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Life — December 20, 1923 — page 17: Life, 1923-12-20

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a rat labeled "VETERANS BUREAU" falling from a high shelf or ledge, with mice scattering below. The caption reads "HIGH TIME FOR SOMEBODY TO WAKE UP." The image satirizes corruption or mismanagement within the Veterans Bureau—a federal agency. The rat metaphor suggests the bureau has become infested with corruption or is itself parasitic. Mice fleeing below likely represent victims or concerned citizens. This appears to reference the Teapot Dome scandal era (early 1920s) when multiple government agencies, including the Veterans Bureau, faced serious corruption investigations. The cartoon calls for public awareness and action against institutional wrongdoing, using the dramatic falling rat to suggest accountability is overdue.

📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

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