Life, 1925-11-05 · page 33 of 50
Life — November 5, 1925 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical page from Life magazine critiques American social disorder and lawlessness in the 1920s-30s era. **"Ballade in Praise of Lawlessness"** ironically celebrates crime while documenting real concerns: Chicago's daily murders, New York's killings, and rising violence. The poem mocks both criminals ("Here's to crime!") and the ineffectual authorities trying to stop them—district attorneys, police ("John Laws"), and reformers. The "Eighteenth Amendment" reference indicates Prohibition-era crime and the perceived futility of law enforcement. **"Teaching the Young Idea"** shows a criminal parent teaching a child to dot his i's—crude but darkly humorous commentary on generational criminality. **"The Dramatic Critic Reports a Fire"** parodies detached intellectuals by comparing a boring tenement fire to Nero fiddling during Rome's burning, suggesting even cultural critics find modern disasters underwhelming. **"How to Beat the Anthracite Game"** offers sardonic tips for coal theft during heating shortages—reflecting Depression-era fuel hardships. The overall theme: widespread lawlessness and social breakdown, treated with satirical gallows humor rather than outrage.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ballade in Praise of Lawlessness HICAGO, one hears, has a murder diurnal; New York, says report, has a killing each day. (The Boosters won't like that, but read any journal— T'll leave it to you what the front pages say.) It's turning the District Attorneys all gray; The John Laws are having a terrible time, But blithe rings the toast of the gunmen and gay: “Here's to crime!” The riveters, raising a riot infernal While building the skyscraper over the way, The bards who crop up when the season is vernal Are pests whom I'd equally cheerfully slay, While as for stout gals who disport at croquet (They were wows when Lil Russell was just in her prime) And who won't hear a No when they ask me to play— Here's to crime! Reformers endowed with a wisdom supernal The backs of the solons who govern us flay. Displaying the signs of convulsions internal, Statistics of increase in mayhems they bray. Let them yell all they please; let them blame whom they may. J hope that the number of murders will climb! While traffic cops live I'm for auto-da-fé! Here's to crime! L'Envor The Eighteenth Amendment is with us to stay.— Now, Prince, hold your breath till I squeeze in the lime. Well, mud in your eye, lad! Aaah! Pretty smooth, hey? Here's to crime! Baron Ireland. Pre-Wedding Stuff Dor: How did it happen you broke with George? Frora: Well, he said he liked marble tombstones and 1 said I wanted granite. ATTACHABLE ARMS FOR CIGAR STORE CLERKS; MAY BE SNAPPED UP AT APPROACH OF SUSPICIOUS PERSON, LEAVING HANDS FREE TO SIGNAL ALARM OR SEIZE GUN FOR PROTECTION. , + RRE TEACHING THE YOUNG IDEA Bandit Papa: ALWAYS pot YER 1's, KID. The Dramatic Critic Reports a Fire wr the unsympathetic Nero fiddled while Rome burned was never clear to us until an uninteresting conflagra- tion broke out in a tenement house at Third Avenue and Thirteenth Street yesterday. Nero evidently brought the bow across his trusty fiddle to save himself from ennui. Unfortunately for us we had no fiddle at yesterday's blaze, nor even a ukulele to strum, so we twiddled our thumbs. The fires thus far this season are not up to standard. Last year in November alone there were at least six fires that had sufficient virility to enjoy a short run, but this season there hasn't been a blaze worth going to see. Yes- terday’s fire began auspiciously enough, but the first ten minutes showed a decided slump in the action. Perhaps the Fire Department is too efficient. Who knows? The police say the fire was of unknown origin. This is the only good break the author got. Nat N. Dorfman. How to Beat the Anthracite Game PEN doors and windows wide while dummy at bridge. Guests go home. Family goes to bed. Watch for neighbors going away for a week-end. Break cellar window. Help self to coal. Read English novels. Learn to live without heat. Make wife and daughters wear clothing. Be democratic; go to Florida. comicbooks.com