Life, 1927-05-26 · page 28 of 39
Life — May 26, 1927 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page collects brief humorous anecdotes mocking everyday social absurdities of the era (appears to be 1920s-30s based on references). **Key satirical targets:** - **Class pretension**: A theater manager insists on military titles; an actor responds mockingly with a lower rank - **Modern anxieties**: A motorist warns about carbon monoxide poisoning (early automobile concern) - **Prohibition era**: A drunk man tries pouring liquor into a beggar's cup; the beggar refuses, joking he'll "go blind" (a common joke about alcohol) - **Male dominance**: A husband establishes marital "precedent" by winning their first quarrel - **Education/literacy**: A Harvard professor cannot read or write well enough to vote - **Advertising absurdity**: A border restaurant sign paradoxically advertises both "Near Beer" (legal substitute) and "Real Beer" The cartoons use exaggerated situations to mock contemporary social pretensions, the persistence of drinking despite Prohibition, gender dynamics, and general human foolishness. The tone is gently mocking rather than sharply political.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Caller: Maid: it’s aut. mont, sim, MAsteR’s 19 WHAT THE: ? A URRY TO FINISIC “IS PICTURE FoR THE ACADEMY, AND ‘IS MODEL DIDN'T TURN UP, SO I’ OMLIGIN’ ‘ID. Falling Into Line A Loxpos theatre manager is punctili- ous about the retention of his rank. A well-known called on him the theatre and asked for “Mr. Dash. The well-trained door- n replied: “I will tell Colonel Dash; is upstairs.” “Right,” said the actor; “tell him Cor- poral Blank would like to see him.” London Morning Post. A Habit of Speaking Tue tired business man came home tired after a long day at the office. The family gathered for dinner. ‘The tired business man howed his head to ask the blessing and all was quiet. “This is Mr. Jones speaking,” he be- gan—New York Sun. Avorien sorry figure is the great edu- cator who signed up to teach on a“ ing university” and discovered he was a chaperon.—Detroit Neves. float- “No wonder th’ boys that fought U end war never mention it.” —Abe Martin, in Indianapolis News, Considerate Motorist: 10D YouR BREATU—THE MON- OXIDE GAS 18 PoIsoNoUs! —Séndagsnisse-Striz (Stockholm). —Humorist (London). ne continues fairly eternal, we heard a girl call ‘em ‘tate Journal, Tue fen and yesterd “stepinnies".—Ohio GOING FOR A MERE SONG. —London Opinion, You Can't Be Too Careful A “au beggar sat at the entrance of a subway kiosk with a tin cup in his hand. A. passer-by, slightly under the affluence of incohol, took out his pocket flask and started to pour a drink into the man's cup. The beggar opened his eyes suddenly, saw the flask and yelled: “Nix, nix! None of that stuff. Do you tink I wanta go blind?”"—New York American, Easy Payments Moronist (short of ready cash): Here's five shillings. TN give you some more later. Victim: What's the idea? Do you think you can run over me on the instalment system? —Weekly Telegraph (London). Bryonn the Alps lies Mussolini. —Detroit Free Press. Local Fame Tur return to the home town of the yy” who has made good in the y is rarely, we have understood, nt be. In connection with this we have to report the particularly sad experience of a young banker who, after eight years of absence, alighted at the station of the town of his birth, s, despite his expectations, no one on the platform whom he knew. | No one. Discouraged, he sought out the baggage master, a friend since boyhood, ‘To him at least he would be welcome, and he was about to extend a hearty greeting when the other spoke first. “Hello, George,” he said. “Goin? away?"—New Yorker, A Question of Literacy Tins happened to Professor Munro when he went to vot Pottixc Crenx: Your name? Mr. Mr. Munro. P. C.: Your profession? Mr. Harvard professor. P. Cr Can you read and write? —Radecliffe News. A Decisive Battle Hopss: I understand ‘Tom and his wife just had their first quarrel. Was it serious? Douns: Very. He gave in and thus established a precedent. —Boston Transcript. Sicx on a border restaurant near the Rio Grande in Texa Near Beer Sold Here and Real Beer Sold Near Here.” —Johnson County Democrat. “pID YOU HEAR ABOUT MAME?” “xo. wat?” “DIDN’T YOU SEE IT? SHE WAS SHOT 1x tux Graphic!” —New Masses. comicbooks.com