Life, 1925-12-31 · page 27 of 37
Life — December 31, 1925 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several unrelated humorous pieces typical of Life's format: **"Tour de Luxe"** mocks automobile safety statistics, sardonically suggesting that instead of hitting 204,612 people in 1925, cars could concentrate on one person to provide free world travel via the distance they'd be propelled. **"Fairy Story"** is a deadpan joke about selecting a chocolate—the humor lying in the tautological disappointment. **"Putting It Over"** satirizes Prohibition-era activism, mocking a committee of prohibitionists who petition the Pope to enforce the Volstead law on American Catholics (numbering ~19 million), suggesting they'd next appeal directly to God if the Pope refuses. **The college dialogue** jokes about financial desperation—a broke student advised to ask his father for prom money. **The top cartoon** (captioned "Balaam's Ass") shows a donkey and person discussing "the situation like two rational beings"—likely satirizing some contemporary political disagreement, though the specific reference is unclear.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
acer lita ata, Balaam's Ass: Tour de Luxe “CHE average flight through space of a man struck by an automobile,” says Statistical Steve, “is seven feet eight inches. Of course there are those who bound twenty feet from the fenders, On the other hand, a few courageless individuals drop limply in their tracks. The average propulsion therefore remains at seven feet cight inches. During the last six months of 1923 some 204,612 individuals have been so propelled. The total space they traversed was slightly more than 297 miles. “This immediately suggests an in- expensive travel-tour, If, instead of hitting 204,612 individuals, the auto- mobiles would concentrate on helping one man on his way, the fortunate traveler could tour much of the world at small cost to himself.” H.R. M. ONES: I suppose your boy is big enough to wear your discarded clothes now? Brown: Oh, yes, he’s big enough. I wear his. ‘AIRY STORY—Once upon a time there was a man who selected a chocolate-covered lemon cream with walnut center from a box of assorted chocolates. The piece he got was a chocolate-covered lemon cream with walnut center. q [os WAITING TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR COME NOW, LET'S DISCUSS THE SITUATION LIKE TWO RATIONAL BEINGS. Putting It Over HE UNITED COMMITTEE for —well, anyway, one of the numerous little groups of serious Prohibitionists —has addressed a letter to the Pope demanding that he use his good offices to make every member of the Catholic Church in America a loyal supporter of the Volstead law. A rather large order, considering that there are some- thing like 19,000,000 Catholics here. However, the brethren of the United Committee are undismayed. They mean business. Failing in their efforts with the Pope, they will doubtless take the matter up directly with God. The ‘‘Old Man’’ Again T seems there were two college students, Percy and Harold, who met on the dear old campus before “Prom” Week, which naturally was the chief topic of conversation. “Going to have a girl on for the big week, Perce?” asked Harold. “Can't be done, Hal,” replied Percy. “T'm too terribly broke.” “Broke?” retorted Harold. S.O.S. your old man.” “Aw, comicbooks.com