Life, 1926-07-01 · page 10 of 40
Life — July 1, 1926 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes American youth who drank alcohol during Prohibition. The cartoon depicts a clergyman confronting a prisoner, accusing him of smuggling whiskey. The accompanying poem by James Kevin McGuinness criticizes young men like "George" and "Benjamin" who drink champagne in France while claiming patriotism—calling this behavior treasonous compared to historical heroes. The satire targets the hypocrisy of wealthy Americans who violated Prohibition laws abroad while presenting themselves as patriots. The "newer treason" refers to moral corruption through alcohol consumption, presented as betraying the nation's values. This reflects 1920s-era anti-alcohol sentiment and class tensions regarding enforcement of Prohibition laws.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Clergyman: My poor MAN! 1 PRESUME IT WAS THE DESIRE FOR WHISKY THAT BROUGHT YOU HERE. I NEVER EXPECTED TO GET ANY BOOZE IN THIS PLACE. The All-American Menu RISH STEW...chop suey... goulash...chile con carne... ravioli. ..knackwurst kraut...Yorkshire Welsh rarebit...bortsch fisch...Spanish omelet. mayonnaise ... antipasto kuchen. glish muffins. ...Danish pastry... Canadian bacon Prisoner: NOT AT ALL. Anything to Help ASHFUL SWAIN (after strained silence in taxi): Did you know that there was—er—a w against — er — kissing in with the shades drawn? Tue Maw: Is there? For Heav- en’s sake, let’s put them up! mit sauer- pudding... efullte- jar... « baum- taxicabs Fairy Story “T ISTEN, children, and I'll tell ‘ou about a country that has a government of the people, by the people and for the people.” --hot tamales. ..wiener- . petits pois... spumoni paisse ... maté ... scones Turkish coffee Filet mignon, . -minestrone. HOW. HW. THE HOME OF THE BRAVE The Newer Treason HEN George was young \ \ and drank his rum, And danced, and swore, and even diced; When Benjamin, in glum Because _ his iced, I wonder, did they ever think, Those heroes of our nation’s youth, It was a crime to take a drink And sacrilege to tell the truth? France, was champagne wasn't When Bon Homme Richard sailed the seas, It carried grog among its stores; To-day, if Wayne B. Wheeler please, It couldn’t even touch our shores. From Yorktown on to Saint Mihiel, They drank their liquor as they went. If this be treason, wotinell Is less than half of one per cent.? James Kevin McGuinness. 100%—No Discount Y , sir! my favorite song-writer is Irving Berlin and my favorite singer is Eddie Cantor. My favor- ite play is “Abie’s Irish Rose.” My favorite novelist is Vicente Blasco Ibdiiez and my favorite short-story writer is Octavus Roy Cohen. My favorite baseball player, next to Stanley Coveleskie, is Tony Lazzeri. My favorite prizefighter is Benny Leonard and my favorite wrestler is Stanislaus Zbysz My favorite cartoonist is Rube Goldberg, and Milt Gross is my favorite humorist My favorite all-around athlete is Charlie Hoff. Next to Ma ford, my rite mov Vilma Banky; and after Charlic Chaplin, my favorite movie actor is Ramén Novarro. My favorite movie director is Ernst Lubitsch. My fa- vorite law is the Immigration Act and my favorite club is the Herman K. Schlochtermeyer Post of the American Legion. Yes, sir! I'm a one-hundred-per-cent. American, I am. Tupper Greenwald. Information Given Out Jers COLLEGIAN: The trouble with Audrey is she talks so dam’ much! Seconp Cott matte much! : That wouldn't if she didn't know so dam’ comicbooks.com