Life, 1926-09-09 · page 33 of 40
Life — September 9, 1926 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains literary criticism and advertising rather than political cartoons. **"Rhymed Reviews"** critiques William Beebe's book *The Arcturus Adventure*, a real account of a scientific expedition to study marine life in the Sargasso Sea. Poet Arthur Guiterman's satire mocks such expeditions as wasteful vanity—arguing scientists should work ordinary jobs (keeping files, washing dishes) rather than pursuing impractical research like observing albatrosses or volcanic activity. The humor reflects early 20th-century skepticism about pure scientific exploration as frivolous luxury. **"Post Mortem"** contains brief satirical quips: one notes Liberty's image appears on a Sesquicentennial stamp only because tradition forbids living subjects on stamps; another jokes that traffic laws lack the consistency of one-way streets. The **Wrigley's advertisement** dominates the right side, using a cartoon of a sluggish office worker overwhelmed by digestive discomfort to pitch chewing gum as digestive aid—a now-dubious health claim typical of 1920s advertising.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Rhymed Reviews The Arcturus Adventure By William Beebe G. P. Putnam's Sons A! L means of travel—airplane, blimp, Or tank—are one to William Beebe, Who finds a nautilus, a shrimp, Or crab as beautiful as Hebe. He sailed with more as mad as he Upon the gallant ship Arcturus, To view the famed Sargasso Sea And catch the Yellow-tailed Xisurus. These scientific junketings, Between ourselves, are quite ex- cuscless, And folks who undertake such things Are manifestly wholly useless. Instead of keeping office files And working hard to please their bosses, These people camped on coral isles To spy on nesting albatrosses. They might have done some worthy task Like selling bonds or washing dishes Instead of helping lizards bask Or spearing two-ton devil-fishes. Unbounded bliss they might have found In Panama absorbing guava Instead of idly loafing round To see volcanoes belching lava. Bencath the ocean William sat Among the squids that so delight him, To gain the information that No self-respecting shark would bite him. The book's all right, and so’s the shi And crew; but as for William, damn him, He wouldn't take us on the trip, So Vida says I've got to slam him. Arthur Guiterman. Post Mortem L BERTY, in the shape of a bell, is been used as the decorative feature of the Sesquicentennial post- age stamp, thus conforming to the ancient tradition that no one shall have his picture on a postage stamp until he is dead. : Te trouble with traffic regulation is that, while streets may be one- way, laws are not. When the stupor of a full stom- ach slows up your work— And you wish you could crawl away and sleep it off— Remember that WRIGLEY’S chewing gum will work wonders in spurring your lagging digestion and in relieving that over-eaten feeling. Use WRIGLEY’S after every meal to help the stomach in its work. Use it to quench that thirst, cool the dry parched throat and restore your vim and pep. You like a bit of sweet after meals anyway. Take that bit in the form of WRIGLEY’S and get benefit and pleasure in generous measure. Comes to you fresh and full of flavor comicbooks.com