Life, 1925-02-26 · page 7 of 36
Life — February 26, 1925 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes California tourism and boosterism. The poem mocks visitors to California — describing them as having "ridiculous fangles," rushing about, and engaging in excessive tourism. It attacks California's self-promotional claims about climate and natural resources. The main cartoon depicts a crowded, chaotic dining scene labeled "San Francisco (loyally)" with the caption "Don't worry, dear—it's just another of those fires," darkly joking about San Francisco's devastating 1906 earthquake and fires, suggesting tourists casually accept disaster as part of the city's character. The accompanying sections ("Seeing Doubles," "Made, Not Born") continue mocking Californians and Eastern tourists' mutual incomprehension. The satire suggests California's promotion of itself as a paradise is exaggerated and that its boosters and visitors are equally ridiculous.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ZT e The Worm Turns “ A LACK!” said the old Californian, It's quite the reverse of ‘a lack’: All races, including the Bornean, Are traveling hither and back. “Their manners, I grieve to relate, Are often offensive to purists. ‘d have such a marvelous state If we had less exuberant tourists. “They're full of ridiculous fangles; They rush at a terrible pace; T frequently speak of ‘Loose They picnic all over the place. Reformers, reducers of weight And_ psycho-dynamical curists— We'd have such a glorious state li we had more adaptable tourists. “They're bored with our and missions. They loathe our beneficent fogs. They can't find the proper physicians. They wear most remarkable togs. mountains “Inquisitors, grave and sedate, Vacationers, journalists, jurists— We'd have such a wonderful state If we didn’t have so many tourists!” Arthur Guiterman, Seeing Doubles IFF: When you were in Holly- wood, did you attend any party of the movie stars? Garr: No, but I had a wild time one night with a gang of their substi- tutes, San Franciscan (loyally): Don’t worry, DEAR—IT’S JUST ANOTHER OF THOSE FIRES, Florida Orange: Wwexe viv you GET ALL THOSE AWFUL WRINKLES? California Prune: FROM THE WONDER- FUL CLIMATE, MY BOY. Made, Not Born HE trouble with these Californians was that they never knew what they were talking about. ight to see our climate,” they were always telling me. “Sum- mer all the year round—and, boy, wha a summer And natural resources! Man, California can support the nation and still get hog-fat on what is left over! And I'll tell the world that in another ten years California will have a bigger population than any other state in the country!" They made me sick! Then I went out there. you ought to see our climate. Summer all the year round—and, boy, what a summer! And natural re- Man, California can support the nation and still get hog-fat on what is left over! And I'll tell the world that in another ten years California will have a bigger population than any other state in the country! The trouble with these Easterners is that they never know what they're talk- ing about. They make me sick! sources! TB. CENSOR is a man who was never allowed to eat a second plate of ice cream when he was a boy. comicbooks.com