Life, 1924-08-14 · page 21 of 36
Life — August 14, 1924 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes sensationalist newspaper headlines by imagining what would happen if stories literally matched their exaggerated titles. **"Senator Hits Fish Measure"** plays on the ambiguous headline: instead of a senator criticizing a legislative bill about fish rights, he physically attacks the bill as if it were a person, even "rapping the Bill squarely in the nose." **"Death Strikes Dr. A. B. Brown"** literalizes another headline cliché: Death appears as an actual entity (identified as one of the Four Horsemen) who physically assaults the doctor, rather than the doctor simply dying. **"Police Comb City For Daring Thief"** imagines police officers literally *combing* the streets on hands and knees, treating "comb" as a verb rather than understanding it as slang for searching. The humor targets 1920s tabloid journalism's melodramatic, punny headlines that could be misread by taking them literally. The accompanying illustrations (skyscraper cityscape and vintage automobiles) reinforce the absurdist premise. This is classic early 20th-century satirical humor mocking media sensationalism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
If Newspaper Stories Read Like Their Headlines Senator Hits Fish Measure \WASHINGTON, Aug. 11.—The Senate hall was thrown into con- fusion to-day when Senator Wind sud- enly made an unprovoked attack on c Fish Rights Bill, granting equality all fish, as it was lying on the table. The trouble occurred when the Sen- tor arose to make an address relative to the Bill. In the midst of the talk he suddenly reached over and rapped the Bill squarely in the nose. Several other members of the Senate separated the two and further trouble was averted. “The attack was a surprise to me,” the Fish Bill declared later, “I am considering swearing to a warrant charging Senator Wind with battery.” eee Death Strikes Ds. A. B. Brown Wuostsvitte, Aug. 12—Dr. A. B. Brown, noted physician, had a narrow escape to-day when Death ran amuck in the residence district and struck at the eminent medical man, According to Dr. Brown's story, he was standing on a corner when Death approached and asked to be shown the | way to the City Hall. The doctor pointed the way. Without a word Death struck him. Dr. Brown defended himself with his cane. Neighbors telephoned the police and a shotgun squad was rushed to the scene to take Death into custody. At police headquarters Death was identified as one of the Four Horsemen, and is said to be wanted in connection with recent war killings. eee Police Comb City For Daring Thief San Francisco, Aug. 13.—San Fran- cisco residents were startled to-day to see several hundred police officers, all armed with small combs, going over the city’s streets on their hands and knees. When asked what the idea was, one of the men replied that they were comb- ing the city for the burglar that had entered a local home the night before. | “We expect to have him in custody to-night,” said the Chief. “If not, I shall throw out a dragnet.” It is understood the dragnet will ex- aa8 te OLD HOME WEEK IN 1974 THE SENTIMENTAL MILLIONAIRE RETURNS TO VISIT THE HUMBLE HOUSE IN WHICH HE WAS BORN tend from the Ferry to Golden Gate Just a Boy Park and will bring in several suspects, including the leading skyscrapers of the city, numerous automobiles and several thousand persons, as well as a few street cars. Sherwood D. Tyrrell. Fist Fatuer: Enjoy the circus? Seconp Ditto: No. The peanuts were rotten. Some people would have more in- nings if they took fewer outings. comicbooks.com