Life, 1927-12-08 · page 26 of 40
Life — December 8, 1927 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes 1920s American society through multiple lenses: **"Sonnet for Sunday Drivers"** mocks motorists—newly common car owners—as reckless "morons" and "nitwits" who endanger pedestrians. The sonnet criticizes their dangerous Sunday driving culture and the resulting Monday complaints. **"Americana" section** collages absurd newspaper headlines reflecting the chaotic era: bank robberies, prohibition-era violence, arbitrary laws, and sensational crimes. It suggests American life has become ridiculous and lawless. **The dialogue jokes** target social attitudes: the first about "sales resistance" in the younger generation (consumerism and moral decline); the second, a racist stereotype about African American speech patterns and infidelity. **"With Rare Exceptions"** jokes darkly about college students taking five years—implying either stupidity or that they're repeating years—calling them "bond salesmen" (suggesting they're financial failures). The overall tone: American modernity—cars, crime, consumption, education—has created chaos and moral decay. The magazine mocks contemporary anxieties about the "younger generation."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“... and they say she’s very nearly crazy. with a shop girl and her youngest daughter ran off with a traveling man. . .” “That's the trouble with the younger generation. They haven't a bit of sales_resistance."” Her son is having an open affair Americana HUGS Loot Bank in Daring Steals Million-Dollar School Fund. Daylight Robbery....One Cock- ...Thugs Defy Police in Daring tail Brings Man Jail Sentence.... Daylight Murde Crime Ended Trained Goldfish Gets Long Term by Prohibition Says Noted French overnor Blotz Re- elected by Large Majority. ...Six-Year-Old Girl Flies to Thibet....Thugs Dynamite City Hall... Thousand New Laws Passed by Legislature Woman Jailed for Parking Too Near Fire Plug. Russia in Bad S 5 Home-Run_ King day Golf Illegal School Pupils in Wild ....Whole City in Frantic Welcome to Flag- pole Sitter....Thugs Front Door of Jail. .. Evangelist. Breaks Non-Stop Prayer Record Standing on Head. Robert Lord. Skater. Movie Contract....Governor Blotz stahare FIRST COLORED LADY: Yo" husban's in de hos- pital? Ah thought he was jus’ only off on a jag. SECOND SIMILAR (with pride): He was, but Ah interrupted him. Sonnet for Sunday Drivers HERE is no day like Sunday (Lord be praised!). Then all the morons, nitwits, dolts and eggs, Weary of much propulsion by their legs, Leap forth into their cars, and lo! is raised Such fumes as Hell itself has never blazed, Such repartee as one expects from yeges. Behind their horns thus mankind's sourest dregs In hot procession fly, wild-eyed or glazed. Two hundred miles they race, inhal- ing gas, Exhausting selves and driving walkers mad. Then Monday comes; post-mor- tems now are due; ‘They corner you and tell you all, alas. O Lord, omit all Sundays—make us glad! (It’s jake with me to discard Mondays, too.) Gordon Seagrove. With Rare Exceptions HAT do they call a person who's taking the fifth year of his college course “A bond salesman MOTHER: smoking, Eloise, we might be able to buy Father a case of gin for Christ- If you'd cut down on your comicbooks.com