Life — April 12, 1928 — page 21: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts a disheveled figure labeled "Lack of Luck" dressed in tattered rags, standing before an automobile marked "G.O.P." (Republican Party). The Capitol building appears in the background. The figure appears to be a beggar or vagrant personifying misfortune. The caption—"Rags Are Royal Raiment When Worn for Virtue's Sake"—suggests ironic commentary on the Republican Party's presentation of poverty or hardship as morally justified or dignified. The cartoon likely critiques GOP claims about economic conditions or their framing of their political position during a period of economic difficulty, possibly referencing the Great Depression era when this magazine was active. The satire challenges the nobility of their stated rationale.