Life, 1927-10-27 · page 25 of 36
Life — October 27, 1927 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **prize-winning contest entries** and **advertising**, not political satire. The "Alibi Number Forty-One" section showcases humorous reader submissions to Life's ongoing contest. The featured cartoon depicts a family confronting a father who's using a radio ("tuning in") after previously claiming he wouldn't be corrupted by such technology. His excuse—that his "resistance coil must have become run down"—is a pun playing on electrical terminology to humorously justify his hypocrisy. This reflects 1920s-30s anxieties about **radio's addictive appeal** and changing household norms. The page also includes other readers' submitted alibis (excuses) using similar wordplay, plus a brief joke about small-town life. The **dominant content is a Douglass Lighter advertisement** promoting a windproof cigarette lighter with trigger-press ignition. It emphasizes reliability and portability—notably mentioning it fits vest pockets of vanities "without a bulge," reflecting era-specific fashion concerns.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ee PRIZE WINNERS ALIBI NUMBER FORTY-ONE The Family: usvex’t you At WAYS SAID YOU COULDN'T BE BRIBED TO TOUCH THAT MACHINE? AND NOW HERE YOU ARE TUNING IN. low bors IT HAPPEN? Father: weit, you ser, it’s THIS way...My resistance coil must have become run down. This Ali prize of which wins the first 50.00, was submitted by Exeanor Casey, 111 West 105th Street, New York City. Five second prizes of $10.00 each have been awarded to the folowing contestants: J. B. Barry, New York City, for the Alibi: “I'm not tuning in. I heard some one say, ‘Good evening, fq “and I started to shake hands.” anette H. Faistry, Philadel- for the Alibi: “I got tired of being a bystander so T thought I'd ‘stand by’.” O. 1. Haxcock, New York City, for the Alibi: “I thought I would start practi poses to use when we get television.” Mrs. C. H. Kimprovent Virginia, for the Alibi: all enjoy bedtime stories I thought 1 would tell one.” phia, Pa., Norfolk, Since you Winrtecn, Wood: cliff, New Jersey, for the Alibi: “Tm just dialing the op or to have the service discontinue B. Harrison (The winners of ALIBI NUM- BER FORTY-TWO will be an- nounced in Lire nezrt week.) Mutual “T'D hate to live in a town like this.” “So would I, mister.” “Oh, then you're not a native?” “Not so’s you can notice it. I live two miles west of here!” Never a fumble, smooth as a ges- ture, your Douglass Lighter is ready {with a light. No preparatory moves; it lights at a mere trigger press! Precise, auto- matic, dependable, a Douglass is more than a smoker's accessory it’s an essential. Even in the wind, with the Douglass windshield attach- ment you are sure of a light. The windshield fits any Douglass Lighter, costs only $1. Tobacconists and jewelers display charming leather and metal cased |Douglasses in the standard size |from $5. And they're showing now the new slender Silhouette models, |priced from $10 to $1000. The Douglass Company. | Fyven in the wind — Lights ata trigger press AUTOMATIC Press the trigger there’s your light. Use Douglass Lighter Fluid or aviation gasolene. The Douglass Lighter SPONSORED BY HARGRAFT WRIGLEY BLDG., CHICAGO New —the Silhouette Douglass. Thin! Specifically 379 thousandths of an inch thin. Slips into vest pockets (or vanities) with- out a bulge. comicbooks.com