Life, 1928-01-12 · page 14 of 39
Life — January 12, 1928 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page contains two distinct pieces: 1. **Top cartoon**: Shows a streetcar with a passenger complaining to the conductor about a "closed car" being outdated ("de ring nowadays"). This satirizes early 20th-century racial segregation practices where streetcars maintained separate seating sections—the "closed car" likely referring to segregated compartments. The joke targets this discriminatory system as antiquated. 2. **"Big Bill and America First"**: A satirical list mocking apparent nativist policies, likely from the World War I era. It ridicules proposals to ban foreign words (calling porters "George," banning Italian "Esperanto"), remove "un-American" objects from museums, and eliminate foreign cultural influences. The satire critiques xenophobic nationalism by listing absurd restrictions, suggesting such policies are reactionary and impractical.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Imaginary Conversations Sherwood Anderson Meets Dr. Frank Crane R. CRANE: It is a pleasure to meet you, my friend. And after all, aren’t we all friends on this busy, whirling, glorious planet? Anperson: Let us shake hands. My hand in your hand. Pre: Sometimes when I shake hands, I press the flesh. Oh, Lordy, flesh. Dr. Crane: You're in good health, I trust. A healthy mind in a healthy body, you know— Anperson: Last night I walked through the rain. The rain beat on my body. Well, I guess I got my feet wet. Dr. Crane: Yes, this weather has been a trial. And yet I feel that the sun will come smiling through. But do come to lunch with me. Anperson: Ah, lune h—I think I want to fill myself with food. Food in my body. A stranger in my house. Dr. Crane: But we must have food for the soul as well. Man lives not by bread— Anverson: Bred, yes. I re- member old Nate Grubb used to breed horses on the farm. creature illustrates beauty in some ything. A SON: wouldn't have loved Nate’s old woman. She and Nate used to get drunk in the spring. Everything gets drunk in the spring. Lordy, what’s the use? Nate hated them. Dr. Crane: But how un- thoughtful. Why, every living “Why, Arthur, that’s not the way I showed you to make a figure eight; you're cutting a straight line.” “I know, Mother, but this is a straight eight.” I took a drink once myself. I never got over it. Dr. Crane: Where did you get it? Anperson: Come. Walk through the streets of New York. I'll show you. William J. Pringle, Jr. Big Bill and America First “DORTERS | will called ‘George.’ “Bulldogs are not to be per- mitted in Chicago. “Esperanto will be the off- cial language of the city. “Patriots will murder the King’s English at every oppor- tunity. “Objects not of American origin will be removed from the Field Museum. “Checker players will take note that the king-row has been abolished. “Billiard players will use no foreign influence in the execu- tion of their strokes. “Hotels will report to the in- telligence division the names of guests ordering muffins or tea. “Social leaders will co-op- erate with the authorities in establishing the custom of four- o'clock gin.” B.F.S. not be 2 T sa’ I'd the affo 0 had rim is fi rest the the way wh Pa: wal esq comicbooks.com