Life, 1925-02-19 · page 24 of 37
Life — February 19, 1925 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces reflecting 1920s social anxieties: **"The Original Crossword Puzzle"** cartoon mocks the Babel Construction Corporation—likely referencing the biblical Tower of Babel—as a chaotic, multilingual workplace. The cartoon suggests immigration concerns and workplace disorder through linguistic confusion. **"Unmeet the Wife"** proposes a humorous "social disintroduction" allowing people to formally end acquaintances without obligation. It satirizes social convention by suggesting divorce should extend beyond marriage—a commentary on 1920s divorce rates and rigid social etiquette. **"Reaction"** responds to the Equal Rights movement's setbacks in barbershops. The poem humorously describes a barber refusing to bob a woman's hair, framing it as a loss for women's equality. The barbershop traditionally excluded women, and the "boyish hair-cut" (bob) symbolized 1920s female liberation. **"Little Journeys to Big Towns: Chicago"** offers satirical observations about Chicago's rapid growth, bootlegging ("wad of money"), and aspirations to rival New York—reflecting Prohibition-era corruption and Midwestern ambitions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
7 \ Scumaun<. ' I CONSTRUCTION NACE CORPORATION |~ THAT RoARPE Ya SPALPEEN — (4h Comme’ Stor. PA G80 “ADIOS THE ORIGINAL CROSSWORD PUZZLE Unmeet the Wife HERE ought to be some form of social disintroduction by which two souls no longer affined might, by the good offices of a common friend, go their separate s without the bur- den of personal obligation or dutiful interest. Thus, Smith, approaching Brown, might say: “L say, Brown, do me a favor. You know our old friend Jones? Well. I'm sick of him. I'd like to unmect him. Disintroduce us, will you?” “Delighted,” says Brown, beckoning to Jones. “Jones, here’s your old friend Smith, who no longer cherishes your acquaintance. Shake hands, will you, and tell each other to go to the devil. I'm sure you two fellows will make good strangers. I'll have a drink with you now, Smith, and with you, Jones, in ten minutes.” There it simple, suave, and ef- fective. Smith further obligation to listen to Jones’ talk about his golf game and Jones is no longer hound to furnish Smith with a three- letter word meaning “coin of the Roman Republic.” In-laws particularly would welcome such a reform—every Ruth, every Naomi feels the need of it Probably if Mr. B. could separate him- self from Mr. A. they'd quit making those absurd bets we see on the sport pages, and B. could save some money It is neither just nor democratic when only divorced persons may par- take of the joys of estrangement. L. NoF. is under no Reaction HE Equal Rights movement has eived a severe setback. Accord- ing to recent advices, many tonsorial parlors, invaded of late by members of the fair-and-would-be-fairer sex in quest of boyish hair-cuts, have resumed their traditional for-men-only policy— To the Shaver's pleasant harbor Came a maiden slim and fair, Weeping, pleading, “Gentle Barb Won't you please to bob my hai To the sweetly plaintive sober, All unmoved by prayers or tears, “I'm a Barber, not a Bobber!” Quoth the Wielder of the Shears. Arthur G Little Journeys to Big Towns Chicago HICAGO started life as a_ stock yard and grew into a literary circle Quite a few of its residents sigh for the good old days. The city which supplies the United States with most of its butchers’ bills came into national prominence when some scoundrel sneaked a wad of moncy under the pillow of a ballpla: wasn't looking. Since then people have stopped inspecting under their beds and have instituted searches on a_ higher plane. Numbers of wives and kiddies are still waiting watchfully. Chicago is growing so fast that it is no longer yecessary to call attention to its increase in population. A Chicagoan visiting New York these days looks about him appraisingly and murmurs “There, but for the grace of God, gocs icago. rf who Among the products of the Middle Western metropolis are Judge Landis harvesting machines (political an otherwise), rectangular triangles, rare brands of Hecht and Mr. Wrigley’s lubricant for the jaw bones of—let us not be Biblical stenographers. Chicago still lags behind New York in one respect: it has no Mayor Hylan. Heaven forbid! James K. McGuinness. Flapper Talk an awful thing to say, but Dad is certainly dumb.” “He sure is—if y’ ask me. see how he ever got by.” insanity, Ben I don't comicbooks.com