Life — October 13, 1927 — page 21: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Life magazine cartoon satirizes the Prohibition debate through stormy weather imagery. A large umbrella labeled "EVASION" shields two figures labeled "BOTH PARTIES" from heavy rain representing the "PROHIBITION ISSUE." The satire suggests that both major political parties are avoiding taking a clear stance on Prohibition—instead of directly addressing the controversial issue, they're using evasion tactics to dodge it. The "rain must fall" caption ironically implies that despite their attempts at shelter, they cannot escape the problem entirely. This reflects the real political tension of the Prohibition era (1920-1933), when the issue deeply divided Americans and parties struggled to maintain broad coalitions by appearing ambiguous rather than committed to either wet or dry positions.