Life, 1925-07-16 · page 8 of 40
Life — July 16, 1925 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes Prohibition-era smuggling and American hypocrisy. **"The Four-Point-Four"** is a poem mocking Prohibition enforcement failures—it references the "Nickel Plate" (railroad) and "Century" (train) being used to smuggle Canadian beer across the U.S. border. The accompanying tall building illustration depicts smuggling operations, with the caption "Weather Forecaster" sarcastically noting the climate "doesn't agree with me" regarding alcohol transport. The cartoons below mock other social absurdities: "Merciless" shows postal service complaints, while "Echo of Defeat" jokes about school education, and "Facts You May Not Know" offers tongue-in-cheek observations about Tennessee and Mexico. The aviation cartoon depicts miners seeking "Flivver Moles" (playing on Henry Ford's Model T), suggesting economic desperation or resource scarcity. Overall, the page lambastes Prohibition's ineffectiveness and American cultural contradictions of the 1920s-30s.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
: LIFE - The Four-Point-Four (“Special trains are being run from United States border towns to Ontario to satisfy American demand for the new 4.4 beer.”—News item.) 'HE Nickel Plate is rusting on the siding, The Century is rotting on the ground, And all us Prohibitionists are riding To where the fuzzy-sudses may be found. We're very glad America is bone-dry, For dryness is the thing for you and me; And we're leaving this here country of our own dry, And traveling to halt iniquity. Casey Jones, lean against that throttle; Casey Jones, speed her up some more; Where bound for, there's a deadly bottle; Clear all tracks for the Four-point-Four! When we return we'll bring a tale to shock you Of foreign lands, where morals are so bad That when you feel you must succumb to bock, you Put up a dime and have what's to be had. Ontario is in a sad condition, But when you dance the piper you must pay, And so we feel it is our sacred mission To show misguided souls the better way. Casey Jones, Lord, you're deadly slow, man; Casey Jones, let the engine roar; Casey Jones, can't you make ’er go, man? Ki! Yi! Whe-e-c! Comes the Four-point-Four! Tip Bliss. Merciless RS. RUFFLE: Our postman was insolent to me to- day. Mr. Rurrce: Get even with him. Subseribe for the Saturday Even Post and have it sent by mail. Weather Forecaster (with 003 batting average): CLEAR AGAIN—AND 1 PICKED RAIN....1'VE GOT TO GET A TRANSFER IMMEDIATELY—THIS CLIMATE DOESN'T AGREE WiTl ME! Facts You May Not Know ENNESSEE is in the United States. The Declaration of Independence has never been abro- gated—officially. Congress represents the people. Jack Dempsey is a pugilist. Echo of Defeat ‘ HAT did you learn in school to-day, son?” “Well, Dad, I learned that your definition of an isthmus is the berries.” EXICO is becoming more barbarous all the time. Our citizens don't get any more protection down there than “GEORGE, 1 BET IF WE SH'D DIG DOWN WE'D FIND A STRING OF they do here. FLIVVER MOLES CARRYIN'’ COFFEE TO MINERS.” comicbooks.com