Life — August 18, 1927 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon critiques Prohibition-era hypocrisy. The central female figure wears a "U.S. Public" sash, personifying America itself. She's depicted in a car with two male companions labeled "The Bootlegger" and "Prohibition"—portraying the nation as unfaithfully married to both lawlessness and its own laws simultaneously. The cartoon suggests that Prohibition, while officially the law, coexists with widespread bootlegging and illegal alcohol consumption, making America a "bigamist" caught between competing commitments. The framed portrait on the wall likely represents constitutional authority being ignored. This is classic 1920s social commentary mocking the failure of Prohibition enforcement and America's divided stance on the policy.