Life, 1925-12-25 · page 26 of 37
Life — December 25, 1925 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical comparison contrasts medieval and modern justice systems to argue that progress is illusory. In 1525, a starving peasant stealing bread receives brutal execution. In 1925, a wealthy bank robber who murders multiple people and abuses his wife receives only 30 days in a psychiatric ward—after a psychologist diagnoses him with "dementia simplex" based on a math error, suggesting psychological excuses replace accountability. The joke's bitter point: modern society claims enlightenment, yet substitutes pseudo-scientific explanations for actual punishment of serious crimes. The wealthy criminal escapes justice through psychology and technicalities, while the hungry medieval peasant faced death. The satire critiques both 1920s faith in psychology and class-based leniency in the justice system.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
4 Who Says Humanity Doesn't Progress ? The Year 1525 (A peasant in chains is brought be- fore his lord on the charge of stealing a loaf of bread.) HE LORD: What defense wouldst offer for thy crime? THE Peasant: My liege, the taxes are hard, my wife is starving, and I am too aged and feeble to do service. Tue Lorp: Let the culprit be stripped and flogged, after which he is to be cut into an hundred pieces. The Year 1925 (A prisoner is brought before the Judge. He has robbed a bank of $100,000, murdered the teller and two policemen, and beaten his wife to death.) Tue Jupce: What defense do you offer? Prisoner: Work’s too much trouble. I can’t make over $5,000 a year that way. Anyhow, I don't like cops, and I'm sick of my wife. Tue Juvce: The psychology expert will now examine the prisoner. vane A WELL-BALANCED DIET Expert: What's 74 times 243? Quick, now! Prisoner: 17,981. Expert: Wrong! 17,982! Just as I thought. A case of dementia simp- cox, a well-known type of insanity. Tue Juoce: Thirty days in the psy- chopathic ward! Parke Cummings. 'HE stench of our recent scandals is tough on the poor metropolitan reporter's nose for news. To a Fashionable Photographer S24. for my posterity, Me,—the quintessential me, Grant me, swect photographer, Quiet strength and character ; Make strange fires to smoulder in These my eyes; and square my chin; Smudge a high-light on one cheek ; Have me, like the rest, unique ; Do things to my brow and nose,— Yours the art, though mine the pose; Let my likeness speak...in choice Syllables...with cultured voice. Save me for posterity Just as 1 should like to be. Kile Crook. A Good Gamble DITH: But what's the use of mak- ing New Year's resolutions if you don't keep them? Etnet: Well, there’s always the sporting chance. SUCCESSFUL author is one who furnishes a host of would-be au- thors with a lot of quotations to use. “JEST KEEP COOL, MARY, KEEP COOL, AN’ I'LL SHOW YE HOW TO PUT UP A STOVE.” comicbooks.com