Life, 1928-04-12 · page 26 of 42
Life — April 12, 1928 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a courtroom scene where a woman on trial receives a "wow" verdict from jurors, satirizing public fascination with scandalous trials of the 1920s. The article "Now That the K.K.K. Has Unmasked" uses the recent exposure of the KKK's membership to launch broader social satire about hypocrisy. It catalogs everyday deceptions: women feigning friendship while matchmaking, false modesty about material goods, insincere politeness, and fake courtesy. The references to "Texas Guinan" (a famous speakeasy hostess), Governor Smith and Senator Heflin (likely referring to the contentious 1928 presidential race), and a working-class taxi driver all mock the era's class tensions and pretense. The bottom cartoon about "Mr. Newrich" (new rich) satirizes wealthy upstarts' carelessness and arrogance—tearing up golf course turf without concern, then casually expecting to buy new land. Overall, the page critiques 1920s American pretense, materialism, and the gap between public morality and private behavior.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“What's your verdict, Gentlemen of the Jury “She's a wow!” Now That the K. K. K. Has Unmasked— HY not unmask— The girl who says to another, “Why, dear, I want you to dance a lot with my Jack. You dance so beautifully together!” The lady who says to her neigh- bor, “Oh, I’m just delighted that you've got a new Cadillac. Isn't it the loveliest thing?” The lady who has just been cor- rected, “Did I say ‘who’ for ‘whom’? Why, of course I'm not vexed at your correcting me. I want you to do it every time I make an error.” The stony-faced dame who says, “Well, it was my trick any But it was quite all right to put your ace on it, partner. Not at all.” The taxi-driver trying to win a prize during Courtesy Weck who “Sure, buddy, I'd be tickled to u out to Cedarbog. s raining and it’s eighteen miles and I won't get a pas- senger back to town—but shucks, I'd love to take you. Hop in.” The hat-check girl who says, “Thank you, sir. I’m saving nickels dated 1897 and I'd rather have one than anything else.” Texas Guinan welcoming to her night club eleven gentlemen who ad- mit having only $2.75 among them g, “Come on in. Folks, pop-corn and hot-dog men from the East a hand!” Governor bouquet of Heflin, Senator Heflin on receiving a bou- quet of orchids from Governor Smith, Smith on receiving a orchids from Senator Harry Irving Shumway. P Hay Center News YHE meeting of the town trustees adjourned early Monday night so the committee on culture, art and music could attend a preview of two new records on the drugstore phono- graph. “‘D°? you mind telling me what you paid for that car?” “Yes. I haven't.” Mr. Newricn (having torn up large piece of turf): Replace the divot? I can't be bothered. Remind me some time to buy up a new course for you. comicbooks.com