Life, 1924-04-17 · page 8 of 40
Life — April 17, 1924 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the 1912 U.S. presidential election through a four-act comedy. The sketch depicts ordinary Americans debating whether to vote for **Washerson** or **Jefferson** for president—transparent stand-ins for the actual candidates **William Howard Taft** and **Thomas Jefferson** (or possibly **Woodrow Wilson**). The satire mocks how citizens justify their voting choices with contradictory or superficial reasoning: one man cites "light wines and dark beer," another claims family loyalty to one party, a woman relies on gossip. Act IV presents President Jefferson's inaugural address emphasizing peaceful foreign relations. The cartoon above illustrates children playing at politics, reinforcing the joke that voter decision-making is childishly simplistic and performative rather than principled.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“JUST YOU WAIT TILL 1 GET OUT. LL SHOW YOU WHETHER I'M HOLY.” Comedy in Four Acts ACT I (Scene: Smoking Car) IRST MAN: Washerson or Jefferton for President? Seconn Man: I'll telly light wines and dark beer a cousi Well, Perkins, are you going to vote for 2, Simmons. I'm in favor of and I know a man who knows of Jefferton, and he says that Jefferton has an open mind on the subject. I'm going to vote for Jefferton. ACT II (Scene: Ce ry Store) First Farmer: Well, Ed, are you going to vote for Washerson or Jefferton? Seconp Farmer: I'll tell you, Sam. I'll allow that Wash- erson is the better man and the platform he’s standing on is O. K.; but there ain't nobody im my family ever yet voted Democratic, and I guess I ain't the one to begin. I'm gonna vote for Jefferton ACT III (s Front Porch) First Lapy: Well, Myra, are you going to vote for Washerson or Jefferton for President? ENE Srconp Lavy: Well, I certair I heard it right from Mrs. DePt father was a classmate of Washer: in college, that Washerso: used to drink every Saturday night all thro’ y won't vote for Washer- son. ame, whose 1 his junior year. I'm going to vote for Jefferton ACT IV (Scene: Steps of the Capitol. President J His Inaugural) “And, my fellow citizens, the recent election was more than a mere choosing of a Presid it was a great national foreign rel The platform of the Republican party clearly stated as follows referendum on the question of ot ions The party favors the most harm 1s co-operation with the other nations of the world, so long as such co-opera tion in no way involves the national honor so dear to the hearts of our fathers.’ The people have They have declared themselves in favor of national honor. The United States will become involved in no entangling inter- course with foreign nations.” Curtain George R. Walker, comicbooks:com