Life, 1925-08-06 · page 12 of 36
Life — August 6, 1925 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct pieces of satirical content: 1. **"Ear and Eye" (poem by Arthur Guiterman)**: A philosophical poem contrasting the "Credulous Ear" (gullible listener) with the "Skeptical Eye" (critical observer), using the Hindu proverb "Between Truth and Falsehood is four fingers' breadth." It advocates for healthy skepticism. 2. **"Mrs. Pep's Diary" (August 3rd entry)**: A humorous anecdote about telephone operators' frustration with callers asking to be connected to "Calvin Coolidge in Washington, D.C." The joke mocks both the operators' exasperation and the absurdity of random people trying to reach the President. 3. **"Vote as You Smoke"**: A cartoon satirizing University of Virginia professors caught drinking during Prohibition, questioning why they wouldn't quit smoking if concerned about rules—mocking selective rule-following.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIF E, * Ear and Eye “Between Truth and Falschood is four fingers’ breadth.” —Hindu Proverb GO through the world with a Credulous Ear Devoutly believing whatever I hear, Yet decently able to sell and to buy Because of the aid of a Skeptical Eye. The Credulou: r in his innocent way Accepts and re-echoes whatever they say ; The Skeptical Eye has a cautioning plea To weigh all T hear and to know what I see. The Credulous Ear brings the True and Absurd With infinite faith in the voluble word; The Skeptical Eye takes a quizzical squint At all that he sees—even if it’s in print. What treasures of lore I would lose were it not For the Credulous Ear who receives such a lot! How huge is my debt to that trustworthy scout, The Skeptical Eye with the courage to doubt! Of course I have Fingers—two handfuls of those— A Talkative Tongue and a Sensitive Nose, But none of these others as teachers may vie With the Credulous Ear and the Skeptical E Arthur Guiterman. I WONDER WHO HE LEFT HIS PRACTICE WITH? Vote as You Smoke ‘ HY don’t you quit smoking if you know it isn't good Cc lf . Ni for you?” y) (a3 Roos - ary “Oh, I'm waiting for somebody to pass a law to make . me quit.” A t On the telephone most of the morning, enraged UBUst ot the stupidity of the operators in connection — with names that are more or less household HAT row over the University of Virginia professors words, and I am willing to wager that should I ask to be who were caught drinking was rather unjust. No dis. connected with Calvin Coolidge in Washington, D. C., the cipline can be expected in a university unless the pro- young woman would not only say “Who?” but demand the fessors are accorded the same privileges as the students. spelling out of both names. Lord! how different were things in the community where I was born! For once when I <4 did ask from St. Louis to speak with &Qy our Central cut in with the Mistress Leonard was not at home, but was playing bridge over at the Calverts? whose house she would €« ring at once instead....Lydia Loomis < & in from Morristown just before : : & luncheon, begging me to accompany her , ; LZ —_ to the dentist's, which I might have ex- é pected, for do you sce anybody unex- pectedly in town these days, it is a safe surmise that something has gone amiss with his teeth or vital organs, so we off to Dr. Eckley, who performed skil- fully in ten minutes what Lyd had been (Continued on page 29) Confirmed Pessimist: yes, sir, S ARE IN A HFLUVA SHAPE, comicbooks.com