Life — May 29, 1924 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a baseball diamond diagram satirizing American political corruption. The cartoon maps various government scandals and improprieties onto baseball positions, suggesting that corrupt practices are cyclical—"the same old game." Key figures and references visible include: - **Graft** at the center (home plate), depicted as the core corruption - Various government departments positioned around the field (Taxation, Veterans Bureau, Bootlegging, etc.) - References to specific scandals: "S'triker One" and "History, U. Balls and Strikes" suggest investigations into wrongdoing - **Congress** mentioned as standing apart, possibly implying complicity or detachment The satire suggests that despite investigations and revelations, governmental corruption persists as an institutional constant—players rotate but the game of graft continues unchanged.