Life, 1925-09-03 · page 14 of 36
Life — September 3, 1925 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical dialogue between "Go-Getters" discussing corporate inefficiency and lack of cooperation. The humor centers on a businessman's complaint about needing better "co-operation" within his company—a complaint he ironically undermines by failing to cooperate himself with others. The accompanying sketch depicts a disheveled man on a bench with a small dog, captioned "Poor fellow! He must have lost his dog!"—a visual non-sequitur that plays on misunderstanding. The lower section, "Stripped the Padding," mocks corporate publicity departments as "suppress agents" who rejected a satirical short story as a joke, suggesting these departments actively censor negative portrayals of business. The satire targets early 20th-century corporate culture's emphasis on "co-operation" as management jargon while practices remained cutthroat and self-serving.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Getters who met in the smoking compartment of a train— First Go-Getter (slapping back): Well, well, well. I certainly am glad to see you! Seconp Go-Gerter (returning blow) : Well, well, well. How's things? All right, huh? Thass good. F.G. G.: Pretty good by me. How’s things? All right, huh? S.G. G.: Can't complain. Well, well, well. I certainly am glad to see you. What's new, huh? F. G. G.: Can't complain. Well, well, well. Still with the Little Giant Noiseless Fire- cracker people? S. G. G.: No, Pulled outta there. Couldn't get co-opera- tion, see? Know what I mean? Co-operation. Couldn't seem to get it. I walked right into the Big Boss's office and I said, “J. M.,” I said, “I gotta have more co-operation around here. What this company needs is more co-operation around here,” I said. Well, sir, I could sce I had him hanging on the ropes. He always liked a feller to be right up on your toes. “I check with you,” he said. Yes, sir— “I check with you.” But I [: seems there were a couple of Go- DEMONSTRATING WHAT SWIMMING CAN When Greeks Meet couldn't seem to get the co-operation I was looking for, so I pulled out and went with the Big Giant Extra-Noisy Firecracker folks. You gotta have co- operation to get anywheres. F. G. G.: Yeah. You gotta have co- operation. Now, me, I always get good co-operation. A high-power man’s gotta have good co-operation. Now, f'rinstance, the Big Boss called me in the other d. nd in that way he has, you know what I mean, he said, “F. G,” he said, “there's an old bird over to the DO FOR THE FIGURE Double-Riveted Underwear Corporation that’s all set to buy a bill of goods. All you gotta do is walk over and get his John Hancock on the dotted line.” Well, sir, I walked right into that old bird's office. I pulled the psychology stuff, you know what I mean, asking him how his golf was, and was it hot enough for him, and by Golly, before I pulled the old dotted line on him I had him so sold on my personality that he said, “Lessee that contract, young fel- ler,” and I got his John Hancock right where it'd do the most good! “poor FELLOW! Avceds BOB <0 VE" S.G. G.: Yeah. You gotta have co-operation. High-calibre men gotta have good co-opera- tion. That reminds me of a “good one”...It scems there were a couple of Go-Getters who met in the smoking com- partment of a train...ad lib. Sterling Patterson. Stripped the Padding LACKSTONE: What did that last editor think of your short story, old man? Scrippcur (indignantly) : He took it for a joke! HE MUST HAVE LOST HIS Doc!” Mest corporation publicity men are suppress agents. enn comicbooks.com