Life, 1924-12-11 · page 31 of 36
Life — December 11, 1924 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct items: **"The Glass Blower's Christmas"** is a satirical play script mocking Prohibition-era desperation. Glass blowers face economic ruin after December rains flood markets. A character named Prontz proposes manufacturing artificial glass bubbles marketed as "Prohibition champagne"—a joke about illegal alcohol substitutes during the 1920s-1930s ban. The satire targets both the absurdity of Prohibition and entrepreneurs exploiting it. **"Neighbors"** is a Bell Telephone advertisement using rural Americana to promote nationwide connectivity. It contrasts Ephraim Crosby's isolated 19th-century farm life with his modern descendants who, though still rural, connect nationally via telephones. The message: Bell System service democratizes urban convenience for rural Americans. The bottom cartoon, captioned about a horse/automobile, illustrates generational change—a grandfather confused by modern technology replacing horses, typical progressive-era humor about technological disruption.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Glass Blower’s Christmas (Continued from page 11) narket, has been flooded by the heavy December rains. I now declare the neeting open for discussion. A Gravsearp: Let us make glass igarette holders. Axotner Graypearo: Let us make ttle novelty perfume bottles, A Bearp Waicn Has Hap a Henna Wasnt: Let us make dolls’ eyes, ear- ngs and colored bracelets. (Loud cries of “boo” greet all these ggestions.) Furr: Gentlemen all, these senile iporings are worthless. We are in lesperate straits. For a proper solution, | will give anything—even my daugh- ter’s hand. Can no glass blower save ir reputation and our lives? Proxtz (making his way amid jeers d catcalls to the platform): Yes, I ant Ft You? Proxtz: Under those conditions, 1. Futp: You, the village Figure of Fu Proxtz (loftily): The lonely. steps { genius are ever mocked and derided. Proud glass blowers, you sneered be- iuse I would not give you lusty blow for blow. Yet all the time I was try- ng to establish the future comfort of ur tribe forever, Furr: Is that so? And with what? Prontz (in a dramatic gesture he liscloses a handful of tiny glass glob- les): With these! Futp: Those? What are they? Prontz: What are they THe Vittacers (in on ice): Yes! Yes! What are they? Proxtz: Artificial glass bubbles for Prohibition champagne ! (Giving a wild ery of joy, Chemille throws herself into his arms.) Curtain Henry William Hanemann. He: Look, our captain is going to kick the goal! Sie: What did the goal do? Etecy in a Modern Art Gallery: The curfew tolls the knell of parting dadaism. or -— AL coe ' NY Ld NEIGHBORS When Ephraim Crosby made a clearing far out on Valley Road and built his house, he had no neighbors. He lived an independent life, producing on the farm practically all that his family ate and wore. Emergencies—sickness and fire and pro- tection of his homestead from prowlers—he met for himself. Later he had neighbors, one five and another eight miles away. Some- times he helped them with their planting and harvesting, and they helped him in turn. Produce was marketed in the town, twenty miles along the cart-road. Today Ephraim Crosby's grandchildren still live in the home- stead, farming its many acres. The next house is a good mile away. But the Crosbys of today are not isolated. They neighbor with a nation. They buy and sell in the far city as well as in the county-seat. They have at their call the assistance and services of men in Chicago or New York, as well as men on the next farm. Stretching from the Crosbys’ farm living-room are telephone wires that lead to every part of the nation. Though they live in the distant countryside, the Crosbys enjoy the benefits of national telephone service as wholly as does the city dweller. The plan and organization of the Bell System has extended the facilities of the telephone to all types of people. By producing a telephone service superior to any in the world at a cost within the reach of all to pay, the Bell System has made America a nation of neighbors. AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY AND ASSOCIATED COMPANIES BELL SYSTEM One Policy, One System, Universal Service JEAN-CLAUDE — 1 HORSE ANY MORE. “aUT YOU AREN'T A MORSE, GRANDPA! VM MOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL OF AM AUTOMOBIL —~ 1Tth -ANNUAL-:SEAL:SALE ~~ East comicbooks.com