Life, 1928-05-10 · page 45 of 50
Life — May 10, 1928 — page 45: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the absurdity of Congressional debate through a mock exchange between two fictitious representatives from trivial Boston neighborhoods (West Eamis Avenue and Boody Street). The joke escalates from petty name-calling ("clod" vs. "slob") to increasingly formal parliamentary procedure, with each speaker invoking Congressional rules to expand their insults into the official record. The humor peaks when one representative mentions rumors of brass knuckles and armed compatriots—forcing the "debate" to conclude hastily as the threatened gentleman flees via trolley car. The satire mocks both the pretentious formality of Congressional language and the pettiness underlying many legislative disputes. By treating absurd personal quarrels with full parliamentary gravitas, the piece critiques how Congress dignifies trivial conflicts through procedural rules and verbose oratory.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TWO READERS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL REC- ORD HAVE IT OUT “[r has been brought to my attention that the gentleman from West Eamis Avenue referred to me as a clod.” “The gentleman from Boody Street has been misinformed. Had the gentleman made a reasonable effort to secure accurate information he would have learned that I called him a slob.” “Does the gentleman from West Eamis Avenue realize “Will the gentleman from Boody Street yicld to me?” “L yield to the gentleman.” “I desire to enlarge my original re- mark about the gentleman and ask consent to insert in the record a state- ment that the gentleman is both a clod and a slob, and a nincompoop as well.” “It is not my intention to take up the time of this honorable body with a lengthy discussion of the mental de- ficiencies of the gentleman from West Eamis Avenue as they are revealed by his statements. On the contrary, I shall content myself with smacking. ...” “Will the gentleman yield?” “T will.” “It has been rumored that the gentleman from Boody Street is armed with a blunt instrument known as brass knuckles and has stationed one or more compatriots in this vicinity to assist him in working great damage on my person. I arise to a point of privilege, therefore, and announce that further negotiations will be conducted by telephone. ...”” (Two minutes pass.) “Greater fleetness of foot and the timely arrival of a trolley car having enabled the gentleman from West Eamis Avenue to clude me tempo- rarily, it is the sense of this body that the matter be set aside as unfinished business,” Gerald Cosgrove. ROYALTY IN STRANGE COMPANY From Science—“Dr. Frank Chapman of the American Museum of Natural History, in reporting the activities of the station for the study of wild life at Barro Colorado Island, said: ‘On a single morning I observed passing before my any number of coati, a little flock cccaries, a procession of howling and the Duke and Duchess of '—Boston Transcript. “I x~xow she’s keeping her mar- riage a secret,” confided The Little Woman, “because she told me.” —Detroit News. No matter whether you plan to spend $300 or $3000, our specially prepare descriptive booklet, sent free on request, will be invaluable. Tours with escort. Independent Tours. Private Auto Tours. DEAN «& DAWSON, Ltda. 500 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. Established $7 years 40 European Offices PARIS ROME LONDON CAIRO HOTEL SYRACUSE SYRACUSE, N.Y. VERY metropolitan service Is provided in this new and modern 600 room hotel. All outside rooms—with bath. Rates Two POWERS HOTEL ROCHESTER, N.Y., Excellent Dining Rooms wu Recently modernized and refurnished. Large rooms —new baths — lamps on beds. In heart of banking and business area. Noted for its hospitality and good food. 300 rooms from 2.25 up. Both under the direction of ROY P. BRAINARD Good Hotels Good cities SB comicbooks.com