Life, 1924-09-18 · page 14 of 36
Life — September 18, 1924 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several pieces of social humor typical of early 20th-century Life magazine: 1. **"Liberty—but Not License"** (by W. L. Werner): A humorous essay about how acquiring various licenses (dog, hunting, marriage, auto) gradually constrains one's freedom. The joke satirizes how modern bureaucracy creates endless licensing requirements that paradoxically limit the "liberty" they nominally protect. 2. **"Song to a Lady Golfer"**: A sketch showing a man and woman on a golf course, with the caption referencing a musical quotation ("Oh! Don't You Remember, Sweet Alice?"). 3. **"The New-Voes Are So Up-to-Date"** (by C.G.S.): Satirizes nouveau-riche ("New-Voes") social climbers who obsessively pursue the latest fashions, restaurants, furniture, and trends—always staying conspicuously ahead of current fashion to demonstrate wealth and sophistication. The page represents genteel, urbane humor mocking middle/upper-class American social pretensions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE - “Liberty—but Not License” For years and years I had been puzzled by that phras of patriotic orators, “Liberty—but not License.” Then an innocent-looking friend gave me a dog. 1 got a dog license. Having a dog, I decided to go on a hunting trip. I gor a hunting license. On the chase, I met a buxom rural lass. I got a marriage license. We bought an auto—and an auto license. The lass turned out to be the possessor of expensive tastes, and finally she left me flat and bulging out on th wrong side of the ledger. I got a beggar’s license After a few months of begging, 1 hope to get cnough to buy a pushcart and a peddler’s license. Meanwhile, [ understand what it’s all about. Every night I repeat my little precept, “Liberty—but no more License ! W. L. Werner. The Test RS. NEWLYWED (in tears): Boo-hoo! I don't be lieve you love me any more. Huppy: Certainly I do. Didn't I kiss your aunt? asf Garo SONG TO A LADY GOLFER “on! DON'T YOU REMEMBER, SWEET ALICE? The New-Voes Are So Up-to-Date HE New-Voes are so up-to-date They always know the latest thing. And, what's more, they don’t keep it a secret. Whether it’s a dance step, a catch phrase, or a cocktail, they know it, if it's new. And they know it well Moreover, they always wear the latest thing. Even though it doesn’t suit them in the least. If it’s the latest thing, they'll have it on. And it's often apt to be a little later than the latest. You're sure to sce them at the ‘st restaurant, and they're sure to order the very latest dishes. Of course, all their dinners are extremely late. And most of their guests are late, too. Furthermore, they have bought stacks of the latest antique furniture, and no end of very late first editions. The New-Voes are so up-to-date. In fact, they're a little ahead of the times. C. G. S. Affliction Isn't Blanks a painless dentist? I assure you he isn’t. He tells that old one about Pat and Mike. is ome solace for pedestrians: they are re- His Wife: wumpu! SKEERED 0’ LIGHTNIN’! AN’ sponsible for a lot of cauliflower fenders, YOU A PERFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN, Too! comicbooks.com