Life, 1926-02-04 · page 26 of 40
Life — February 4, 1926 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Cartoon: "For Little Boys Who Would Be President"** This satirizes how minor public figures become political candidates through manufactured fame. A clerk writes a joke that gets published in magazines, gaining attention from major newspapers. Misattributing the joke to President Coolidge and other celebrities (Senator Borah, Billy Sunday, William Randolph Hearst, Red Grange, etc.—all real public figures of the era), he leverages this false prestige to announce a Congressional candidacy. The joke: mediocrity and self-promotion, not merit, can launch political careers. The satire mocks both the ease of becoming a candidate and the gullibility of the press. **Bottom Cartoon: "Intelligent Conversation at the Hockey Game"** A humorous dialogue between two spectators named Vivian reveals their complete ignorance about hockey—confusing the puck with a magazine, discussing artificial ice as if novel, misidentifying plays. The title's irony is the point: their conversation demonstrates profound stupidity masquerading as engagement with the sport. Both pieces critique American society: political ambition without substance, and public engagement without understanding.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HIS OFFICE IN WIS HAT For Little Boys Who Would Be President SPHls eveni: dear children, { am going to tell you how a clerk became a cat cer's didate for Congress. He wrote a joke dit was printed na magazine. It wa all the other mag. When he heard of thi the news-sta is and bow magazines ow Tam fame "he said, as ed himself on a cracker box ai prepared to revel in the Iuxury of sec ing his name in so mar magaz First he took a plumber's pe His joke was said it had been cracked by William Jennings Bryan in the f a Dayton, Tenn,, hotel vilical here in big type, but the ha, a printer's error,” said ou: . my little friends, he opened a sed convulsions ciatic ned his quip had "s jou in Hollywood when it was invented by Gloria Swanson. The clerk was nettled but not angry “After all, these are only — trade journals,” he declared, “Th y preach efficiency, but their proofreading is awful. You won't find errors like that in the popul And w children? His joke was in every m: azines.” im do you think he found. ga zine, but the poor fellow th d of President Coolidge, Emory Buckner, Harry K Thaw, Bishop Manning, informed it was t ain ch Tex Rickard, tor Borah, Knute Rockne, “Ma” Ferguson, Frank B. Kellogg, Billy Sun- day, William Randolph Hearst, Smed ley Butler, “Red” Grange, Andrew tead and Ivy Lee Vol The clerk wrote another joke. You le tots would die laughing if you read it. He tucked shredded t na sheli in the grocery, and came out for Congress, If he to strangle his wife’s cousin. If that doesn’t put him under a can of isn't elected, he is going on Page One, a perfectly wonderful joke will he » the furnace ald Cosgre: JAA BSENT MINDED MAN (to clerk in store): T want just a cheap umbrella, please, for leaving in street- car purposes. Intelligent Conversation at the Hockey Game Vivian. The center, Vivian. Vivian, he doesn’t ause there isn't any q Vivian rterb. You're thinking of football, Vivian The puck, Vivian Yes, Vivian, a ma No connectic , Vivian Yes, Vivian. No, Vivian, artificial ice Ha, ha, ha, Vivian. 1, they don't chop it up for after the game. t making fun of y It's a p Vivian fectly splendid idea, Vivian Yes, Vivian, I'll tell the manager No, Vivian, he hasn't gone to tele- phone HHHH, Vivian. Certainly not He was put off for r No, Vivian, not tryi He slipped No, Vivia goal for the other tedn. That's all right, Vivian Til tell him th take, Vivian. He probably didn't hear you anyway, Vivian hing, Vivian, g to be funny you cheered by mi About ten thot Well, maybe it ¢ ference, Vivian. ind, Vivian. sn’t make any dif- All right, Vivian. I'm sure he could tell your voice That's all, Vivian. eee Yes, Vivian, twenty years Quite right, Vivian, you may be par- doned for good behavior WoK gfeld, Ir. THE SEATS WERE ONLY MALP FILLED ~ comicbooks.com ‘