Life, 1927-11-03 · page 11 of 44
Life — November 3, 1927 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes American masculinity and national pride through two cartoons. The upper cartoon depicts an airplane scene where the pilot instructs passengers to jump with parachutes—a humorous commentary on American daring or recklessness. The lower cartoon titled "TRYING IT ON THE DOG" shows a man and woman in conversation, apparently testing social behavior. The article text critiques American men as "lovers, loiterers," comparing them unfavorably to European men. Miss Oelrichs argues American men lack the romantic sophistication of foreigners and suggests showcasing better examples of American manhood. The satire targets perceived American cultural inadequacy and masculine insecurity relative to European standards—a common early 20th-century concern among American intellectuals.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Lovers, Loiterers, Etc.” or Take That, Miss Oelrichs! (The reading time of this article, in case you're interested, is 4 hours, 18 minutes, 32 seconds, which is equal to the time you will save by not reading this article.) HAT’S the matter with Amer- ican Men?" What is the matter with American Men? What, indeed? This question was recently raised, in Liberty, by Missy Marjoric Oecl- richs. Her article presented a soul- stirring struggle between two ti- tanie forees—the Man of the Old World vs. the Man of the New (World)—in which the score at the end of the last period seemed to be about 81 to O in favor of the Old World. I am left, after reading it, torn and bleeding, every bone in my body broken, every atom of my con- ceit crushed, every spark of my pride extinguished—the pathetic remains of my former gnificent self. “The glory that was Rome.” (Ah, yes! I, too, have been on the Conti- nent.) But, summoning my scattéred en- ergy as best I can, I am prepared to raise the cudgel (by the w can I get a nice new, shiny cudgel?) in defense of America’s Manhood. where Pilot: wey! Tur wine's nusten! Passenger: B-8-BUT 1 DON Pilot: avv wiGutT—t'LL JUMP FIRST Surely, surely, fellow Americans, we must not stand here idly twirl- ing our thumbs, while this fair Flower of the New World (our New World!) slings this mud of insults in our very faces. SOMETHING must be done about “it! Off with our coats (and vests, too) and let's show these greasy foreigners what stuff we nkees are made of ! “I approve of them as lovers, loiterers, dancing partners and sportsmen and because they are with out ambition, announces — Miss Oelrichs, referring to European men TRYING IT ON THE DOG, OPEN YOUR PARACHUTE AND sUeMP! ‘T KNOW HOW TO OPEN IT YOU WATCH AND SEE HOW 1 DO IT. Come, come, my brethren! Are we to allow this statement to tested ? » uncon- OVERS, huh? Lovers? And our at sun 4 very newspapers screaming us every day (and especially on day) such brilliant records of our Native Lovers as—"S lays Sheik with = Axe Strangles Sweetie's Mate with Picture Wire’ —"Jealous Hubby Traps Bride’s Boy-friend in Love “Nest.” Can Europe boast of any Lovers like these? Name to me the foreign lover who has chopped the object of his affection into little pieces and then, with wistful and pa thetic care, has wrapped each piece separately and, tears streaming down d face, thrown the parcels into swamps and stuffed them in old his ru drain pipes. Show me the foreign lover who, with amazin. courage and fortitude, has climinated his rival with a sashweight. Lovers, indeed! OITERERS. 4 Ho, ho! me laugh. Why, I half a dozen prominent Don’t make Id name ntlemen (“T mean, of course, men of the aris tocratie class, for I do not know any other kind.”—Paragraph No. 3 of Miss Oelrichs’ article), half a dozen 1, and do, out-loiter the best loiterers Europe gentlemen, I say, who coul has to offer. Let France, or Spain, or any of those far-off lands, send over here the best all-around loiterer to be found in the entire reall and let him try to compete with any of our home talent. He'd be out loitered (Please turn to page 37 m, comicbooks.com