Life, 1927-10-13 · page 44 of 44
Life — October 13, 1927 — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **travel advertisement** for Hawaii, not satire or political commentary. It promotes Hawaii as an exotic vacation destination to American readers. The illustration depicts tourists golfing at Kilauea volcano—the central conceit is a humorous exaggeration: a golfer's ball flies into the active volcano crater, creating "the world's grandest Hole-in-One." The joke plays on golf terminology for dark comedy effect. The ad emphasizes Hawaii's appeal: luxury steamship travel, modern hotel facilities, scenic activities (surfing, fishing, hiking), and affordability (around $400 for a two-week trip). It references Robert Louis Stevenson to add cultural prestige, and mentions "native boys" singing Hawaiian melodies, reflecting period attitudes toward indigenous culture as exotic entertainment. The text stresses accessibility and ease—no passports required, bookable through local agents—making the distant islands seem achievable for middle-class American travelers. This represents early 20th-century tourism promotion targeting leisure travelers with disposable income.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OREVER after, you'll laugh at the puny “mental hazards” on your course at home. } sailed a ba in a perfect drive — out, and down, and down, ull it was swallowed in Kilauea Vol- cano’s fuming throat. You've made the world’s grandest Hole- in-One. Scorch your scorecard at a smoking crevice nearby to prove it! ‘ach year thousands view the awesome grandeur of Kilauea in perfect safety. And every day in Hawaii is fhlled with experiences as strange —shopping for brasses and South Sea treasures in quaint Oriental bazaars; trips in a native sampan to troll for fighting tuna, dish and x/i »If on Ha- wati’s dozen scenic courses; surf- boarding, swimming, outrigger- canoeing 365 days in the year; visiting colorful canyons, extinct craters, secluded tropical beaches on the idyllic islands of Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii million dollars have been newly spent for additional steamship and hotel facilities. Yet the emer- ald surf of Waikiki breaks in the sunlight just as it did when Stev- enson dreamed on this very beach nd at night, when the moon rises above the palms and Aau trees, the native boys sing the same slow-cadenced Hawaiian melodies that he loved. Easy to Go—and Inexpensive Ocean liners from Los Ange- les, San Francisco, Seattle or Vancouver will carry you to far- off exotic Hawaii inthe same time it would take just to cross the Atlantic. Come by one route = return by another — enjoy the scenic Pacific Coast as a part of your trip. Your local railroad, steamship or tourist agent will book you Make the worlds grandest ‘Hole-in-Oné on your Hawaiian Holiday! direct from home, without pass- ports or formalities. He can tell you what a travel bargain it is— four thousand miles, in all, of delightful sailing on the sunny Pacific, first class steamer fares both ways, two weeks at Hawaii's world-famed hotels, inter-island trips and sightseeing — and the cost need be no more than $400. Plan for it now. See your near- est ticket agency — and today, while you think of it, send this coupon for “The Story of Ha- waii,’’ a 24-page illustrated booklet in colors, and a copy of “Tourfax” HAWAII TOURIST BUREAU 7 McCann Building, San Francisco { (or 355 Fort St., F Hawaii, U.S.A.) H Please vend + best “HAWAIT and “TOUR | NAME | ADDRESS About vou are all the luxurious comforts of modern travel. Ten Che Worlds Island Playground» comicbooks.com i