Life, 1928-04-26 · page 13 of 35
Life — April 26, 1928 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains personal correspondence and commentary rather than a political cartoon. The main illustration shows a crowded, chaotic scene in what appears to be a subway or train car during rush hour—depicting urban congestion and crowded commuting conditions. The letters reference contemporary 1920s New York life: mentions of Texas Guinan (a famous nightclub hostess), Broadway shows, the Pelham Heath Inn in the Bronx, and the Underworld slang ("shiv," "frisample"). The satire targets urban inconveniences (crowded transit, high costs of living), celebrity gossip culture, and the underworld elements visible in 1920s city life. One final quote questions war and gender politics: "As long as there are two women and a man on earth there will be war." The content reflects Jazz Age urban social commentary rather than focused political satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Along the Main Stem De" Pat Wittarp: Both your letters came yester- day and while I was glad to hear that you have reconciled with your pater (ritz for “old man”), you didn’t mention whether or not he resumed your allowance. Now, Willard, that was very unethical of you. I need that $32 which you promised to remit and I trust you recall your promise to kick it in. It was over at Texas Guinan’s place, and just as the check came you became incoherent and I agreed to pay Texas when I could dig up the dough. E is all quite embarrassing. Every time I ankle into her dive, Texas, who is very unfunny about such things, reminds me that she pro- vided the use of her hall; allowed us to throw clackers at her chorines and otherwise make whoopee, but that She Simply Must Live! So you can imagine. Nobody has ever been able to talk Texas out of anything, because she knows all the answers— and my author is sick, anyway. So please remit, old pal, with some of those pieces of paper with the nice pictures of Washington or Jefferson on them. I want to keep our good name up at La Guinan, whose real name, incidentally, is Mamie Gin- nan. And besides, I hate to hear her squawking for the money. She claims she needs it. Maybe she does. I hear she is going blind from the incessant glare of all those diamond bracelets on her good arm. HE canyon is getting lifeless, what with most of the gay places shutting down for the warm spell. The Frivolity Club, however, is packing them in with a new all- blonde floor revue, which comes un- der the heading of daring stuff. They call the show “Good Nudes” and it is plenty nice, believe you me. They have a lot of swell ideas, but they don't wear any clothes. Chez Florence continues, but Miss Flor- ence has gone back to her dear old Paree, being due back on Broadway in Sept. Bernie Cummings has a dandy band over at the Biltmore Hotel, and the Castillian Gardens and the Pavilion Royal on the Mer- tick Road are the champ fun places when the weather is stifling. The Pelham Heath Inn in the Bronx is getting quite a rep for its Tue Encineer: It begins to look like you were right, Bill; that last light musta been red! waffles at breakfast time, catering to that army of stay-up-lates who come up for air after a night of it down- town, and on Sundays you must fre- quent the Long Beach sands in front of the Castle Baths, where anybody who is somebody collects. Here it is that you are not allowed to roast any one until a half-hour after he’s gone. GOT a load of some Underworld slang last night from a gunman. A “roscoe,” frixample, is a revolver, a “shiv” is a knife, a lad who is ‘‘on the muscle” is a fellow who gets rough if you don’t turn over your money, a “hyster” is a female shop- lifter, “pineapples” or “grapefruits” are bombs, and a “‘paper-hanger” is a stock swindler. That lingo cer- tainly fascinates me. The ace of the current gags, by the way, is: “America had better prepare for war, as we're liable to be attacked by Chicago any day.” I've also just discovered that Lon Chaney once was a handy man for the America Theatre at Colorado Springs, and that his father was the rarest of human blessings—a deaf- mute barber. I met June Collyer when she was here, very cute phrail, but she goes home early. Lucila Mendez was glad to meet me, ahem, also, She told me the one about the poor Tiller Girl who couldn't get a job any more as she had her face lifted and couldn’t point her toe. Haw! MUST not forget to remind you to beg, borrow or plunder Victor Record No. 21214 of Paul White- man and his crew doing “Lonely Melody,” which is torrid stuff, and the most contagious of the newer ditties is tagged “Dream Boat.” I must leave you now because my “heart” waiting for me in front of the Times Building at 42nd Strect. She’s beautiful, Willard, but numb—the type who is so ah-ah that when we go to the movies she wants to look at the picture: Well, Ford out of five will have one, Gincerely yours, Walter Winchell. Broken IM: That's a wild, wild girl you have, Joe. Jor: Well, she was wild. But I've got her so tame now she'll eat right out of my purse. WRITER says: “As long as there are two women and a man on earth there will be war.” Why the man? comicbooks.com