Life, 1927-04-07 · page 18 of 59
Life — April 7, 1927 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top cartoon depicts the Colosseum in Rome with two figures, captioned "American Contractor's Wife: how do you account for this mess, Jim? American Contractor: either non-union labor or cheap construction." This satirizes American construction practices and labor disputes of the era—suggesting that either cutting corners with cheap labor OR avoiding unionized workers produces inferior, crumbling results. The ironic comparison to Rome's ancient ruins implies American construction is comparably shoddy. The right column contains "Ballade of Vacation Trips" and "Mrs. Peps Diary," which humorously document a woman's decision to stay home rather than travel, avoiding the hassles and expenses of vacation. Below is a domestic scene captioned "Thos. Cook and Son go on a little tour of their own," showing a father and child at the seaside—likely mocking commercial travel companies.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
American Contractor's Wife: wow Do You ACCOUNT FOR THIS MESS, JIM? American Contractor: EITHER NON-UNION LABOR OR CHEAP CONSTRUCTION. March Awakened by a fly buzzing I about my face, so unsea- 10th sonable an occurrence as to startle me until I did remember that I was on a train bound for Aiken, and looking out the window at the dilapidated South Carolina Jand- scape, I could not but ponder how poorly the “Mammy” songs would go with Northerners if they could glimpse a few of the shacks to which the prodigal Negro songsters are so eager to return. Various cronies in and out of our compart- ment, and with the Bagbys was a young woman who did tell me how once, after diving into the water for selves or jump out of high win- dows. Arrived in time for luncheon, finding my trunk already safe in my room, somewhat to my disappoint- ment because of the heavy insurance [ might have recovered should it have been lost, just as I cannot help but (Continued on page 43) a swim, she discov- ered that she had forgotten to take off her pearls, so did Jeave them on a rock in the mid- dle of the lake or inlet in which she was _ disporting herself, and even then did forget all about them until the night watches, but nevertheless did find them waiting for her in- tact when she went forth at the crack of dawn expecting the worst. It is when I hear such tales that I can grasp why so many heads of in- surance companies shoot them- THOS. COOK AND SON GO ON A LITTLE TOUR OF THEIR OWN. Ballade of Vacation Trips (THOUGH plans for summer travel spread Much joy in April and in May, With naught but dread I look ahead To future journeys far from gay, Ah, friends who'd like to have me stay At places that to you appear To be the best for rest or play— I'm gojng to stay in town this year, I much prefer my cozy bed To mattresses of straw or hay. Too long the famished gnats I've fed And bled while on a holiday. “Away!” you say, “to lake or bay— Away to stray by brooklets clear!” Good-by! Good luck and_hip- hooray.... I'm going to stay in town this year, And in July when all have fled I'll loll at home in negligee. Instead of broiling ‘neath a red- Hot sun I'll view a matinee. When poison ivy starts to flay Your skin and bugs crawl in your ear, I'll sing beneath my needle spray.... I'm going to stay in town No food or lodging bills I'll pay Or be a front- porch cava- lier; Tell Ella, Stella, Flo and Fay I'm going to stay in town this year! Arthur Lippmann Superlative Credulity Rvs: Is North the sort of man that believes all he hears? Dus: Is_ he? Say, that fellow even believes all he tastes! HE CALIPH’S WIFE: Hassan, will you mind the baby a minute? Tue Carin: Oh, go take Haroun around the block! att ee and the tha tor. comicbooks.com