Life — May 13, 1926 — page 21: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a woman scattering papers labeled as crime statistics or reports across a picnic area, while a man in a hat picks flowers nearby. A vintage automobile appears in the background under trees. The cartoon satirizes public discourse about "crime waves"—likely referencing 1920s-1930s anxieties about rising crime. The joke appears to be that people casually disregard or "litter" crime statistics and warnings, treating serious criminal data as disposable waste during leisure activities. The woman's careless distribution of papers suggests the public's indifference to crime warnings, while the man's oblivious flower-picking represents distraction from or denial of social problems. The title sardonically frames this casual dismissal as merely "speaking of" crime—treating grave issues with apathy.