Life, 1926-09-23 · page 16 of 40
Life — September 23, 1926 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces: **"The Great Admission"** mocks film directors' claims that movies are only in their "infancy," repeating this excuse from 1910 through 2910—suggesting the industry will perpetually use immaturity as justification for mediocre content. **"A Bean Gets Into the Bean-Soup Vat"** is a visual joke about industrial food production, showing beans entering commercial soup manufacturing—likely satirizing concerns about mass-produced food quality and safety. **"Up-to-Date Superstition"** pairs old religious stories with modern institutions (primaries, prohibition, etc.), suggesting contemporary institutions have become quasi-religious beliefs. **"Without Benefit of Nicotine"** depicts a mother questioning her daughter about not smoking—reversing typical parental concerns to satirize changing social attitudes toward women and smoking. The Columbus piece appears to be humorous reporting about exploration.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A BEAN GETS INTO THE BEAN-SOUP VAT AT THE KEMEL CANNING COMPANY, Up-to-Date Superstition Reject: Story of Adam and Eve ‘" Jonah and the Whale Noah and the Ark Tower of Babel Joshua and the Sun Believe in: Short ballot Commission government Direct primaries League of Nations Prohibition Sy Without Benefit of Nicotine Daughter: aNb YoU DIDN’T SMOKE WHEN YOU WERE A GIRL? WHY, MOTHER, you FELT THAT YOU COULDN'T LIVE ANOTHER WHAT DID YOU DO WHEN MINUTE WITHOUT A CIGARETTE? The Great Admission 1910 HE FAMOUS DIRECTOR: But, remember, the movies are only in their infancy. 1920 “| ..Only in their infancy.” 1930 “...Only in their infancy.” 1940 “...Only in their infancy.” 2010 “Only in their infancy.” 2910 A Famous Director finally admits* that for over a thousand years the movies have been, not in their in- fancy, but in their second childhood. At the point of a gun. As the Tabloids Might Have Told It UANAHANI, Bahama Islands, Oct. 12, 11492. (A. P.)—Three sailing vessels landed here to-night (picture on page 6). They are in command of a man who e his name as Christopher Columbus, explorer, 52 (picture on page 37), whose address could not be learned to-night. Columbus said he sailed from Palos, a foreign port, and that his trip is financed by Isabella Spanish Queen (picture on page 1). The purpose of his trip, he said, is to determine whether the earth is round or ed (diagram on e 3, showing earth). ve discovered America,” Columbus said. ‘I shall a »” he told reporters. “Go on, whaddaya mean?” politely asked a reporter for the DAILY SHOUT (your picture paper with ten million guaranteed daily circulation). “Never mind what I mean,” was the adventurer’s surly re- sponse. Columbus said that he might conduct a bathing beauty contest before leaving Guanahani, but “no monkey business,” he added. A dinner will be given in his honor to-night. (Other pictures on pages 8, 10, and 27.) R. B. Browne. Always VIRST HUNTER: It must be against the law to shoot deer at this season. Seconp Hunter: How do you know? First Hunter: I just shot one. comicbooks.com