Life, 1928-05-03 · page 4 of 46
Life — May 3, 1928 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not political satire. The left side promotes two straw hat styles from Browning King—"The Fairway" ($10.98) and "The Glendale" ($5.00)—positioning them as fashionable spring accessories for the well-dressed man. The right side contains a poem titled "Physical Culture—and What of It?" (credited to Simonella) that satirizes the **health-conscious urban lifestyle** of the 1920s. It mocks the modern businessman who exercises, attends gym classes, conducts business efficiently, and maintains vigorous activity—only to end his day precisely as he began it, "one day older yet." The satire suggests that despite all this manufactured "physical culture," the protagonist achieves nothing meaningful. The page's tone reflects 1920s consumerism and the era's growing obsession with self-improvement through exercise and consumption.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Drowning King pre esent TWO NEW STRAWS Jor Spring HESE faultlessly correct straws were built expressly to our own design; they are sold only in our own stores and will be worn only by our own fastidious clientele. That they are priced with such extreme moderation is additional proof that at Browning-King even the highest excellence is never high priced. New York—1 East 45th St., at 5th Avenue Chicago—Monroe & Wabash...and 30 other smart, convenient stores LIFE: Published W: eekly by Publishing Company, 598 Madison Ave., New York, Buboctipton, $3.0. Vol. 91, No. No. 2376, May 3, 1928 Matter at the Post Office Dept., Canada. Y. Charles Ent'd 2nd Class Matter, J 8, 1883, at New York’ Post Office, t Ofice Dept., Canada. Copyright 1928, Life Pub, Co,, in U.8., England and British Possessions. Physical Culture—and What of It? (With an Elaborate Nod to Samuel Hoffenstein) you manfully wake at an early hour, You swing your clubs and you take a shower; Swiftly you don each waiting vestment— For ease and sloth you have only detestment. The breakfast is orange juice and oatmeal, A wholesome, strictly unchanging rote meal. And then downtown—but not by subway, That sedentary, insipid dub way: You walk, with a step that’s long and lithesome, Your whole demeanor is clean and blithesome. Into the office you stride with vigor-— When you come in the place looks bigger And brighter and fuller of true vitality. No skeptic could doubt your firm reality. All morning you work with zest and ardor, You don’t know any one working harder. Your mind gives sane, untroubled service, It’s trained so as not to make you nervous. Instead of lunch you attend a gym class Which keeps your body inside the slim class, Your afternoon is a-throb with movement: A conference to discuss improvement Of business conditions; an interview with A keen reporter whom you imbue with The vast importance of keeping active; Some visits, then, with your most attractive Offers for sale. The day is over. You're pleased with yourself. You feel in clover. Of your happiness there is no question: You have good health and a good digestion. Then home, to a vegetarian dinner. Your wife’s a peach, a queen, a winner; You smile at her across the table, Glad you can cloak her in mink and sable. You rest a bit while your stomach settles— The world looks fine and nothing nettles. Then Jones comes in, who is rather fast—so You both play billiards. An hour is passed so. Jones leaves. You raise your hefty chest up And tell your Mrs, she should get dressed up. You're spicked yourself. You walk out prancing And take the wife to a hall of dancing. Perspiration from your body expends it, But Bernarr Macfadden recommends it. At eleven you're home and ready for sleeping; Your senses are still alert and leaping, But eight hours’ sleep is your stern desire. You smoothly remove the day’s attire. With your middle-aged form you've been frank and truthful And struggled to keep it fit and youthful. The end of the day is like the beginning: Swinging the clubs and skipping and chinning And another shower that’s even colder yet What does it get you? You're one day older yet. Simonetta. Nubbville Spark BIG-CITY smarty visitin’ at Hoddy Hewgill’s plac says that Nubbville is in urgent need o’ more beauty shops, per capita, than any place he knows of. ELL,” sighed the houscholder as guests began bad ing and turning their automobiles all over his frost yard, “it won’t be lawn now.” ‘and Treasurer; R. E. Sherwood, Bilt jibeon, President; Gibson, Secretary: ; ‘act of March 3, 1879. Printed in U.8. A. Ent’d as 204 Cat Dana Gi comicbooks.com