Life, 1928-06-28 · page 32 of 35
Life — June 28, 1928 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mixes advertisements with reader correspondence about a "Bunkless Party" presidential campaign endorsing humorist **Will Rogers for President**—an apparent satirical promotion by Life magazine. **The Political Content:** Actor-cowboy **William S. Hart** endorses Rogers in folksy terms, calling him an "eagle" fit for the presidency. This reflects 1920s sentiment that celebrities and entertainers represented authentic American values against corrupt politics. **The Social Satire:** Two letters follow. The pro-Rogers letter celebrates Rogers's character; a contrasting pro-Prohibition letter criticizes Life for ridiculing Prohibition laws, arguing magazines should uphold civic respect for law. The editor's footnote dismissively counters that contempt for law predates Prohibition—revealing Life's libertarian stance against the recently-enacted 18th Amendment. **The Ads:** Simmons watch chains, Apollinaris sparkling water, and Wilson sporting goods fill remaining space—typical period advertising unrelated to the editorial content. The page exemplifies Life's satirical approach: using celebrity endorsements and reader debate to mock both political earnestness and moral reformism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
How old is your watch=-chain 2 Is YOUR watch-chain really mod- ern—as freshly and as authen- tically styled now as when you bought it? Or is it out-of-date— old-fashioned? . . . Styles change in watch-chains as well as in watches. Stop by at your jeweler’s and compare your chain with the latest Simmons designs! Perhaps you need a new chain! Simmons Chains are made in all four standard styles—Dickens, Vest, Belt and Waldemar. Our process of drawing natural, green or white gold over a stout base metal assures long wear. . . . The chain illustrated is a Bondstreet design—No, 29109. Price, $6.50. R. F. Simmons Company, Attle- boro, Massachusetts, SIMMONS TRADE MARK CHAIN Sage, Rit 5 i (Nore: The response from volunteer voters for Will Rogers is so tremendous that we can hardly begin to reprint their enthusiastic comments on the Bunkless Party's presidential campaign. We repro- duce one letter, from William S. Hart, below, and we assure all the other cor- respondents that they will hear from us in the near future.) AS ONE COWPUNCHER TO ANOTHER To tHe Eprtor oF Lire. Str: Anent Will Rogers for President: To be singled out for nomination among such men of proven worth; to be indorsed by fifteen representative Amer- icans; to have a campaign launched by a | periodical of standing, needs some man |to measure up. Will Will do it? Will the tide continue to rise and fall? You bet he will! Will has every fine attribute that parents ever gave an off- spring. Will’s father and mother handed these attributes to him, and he has de- veloped them, through a keen mind and an innate squareness, until he is our out- standing American. The presidential chair of these United States is the heated sun that lightens civ- ilization, Will Rogers is the eagle that can fly to it, and occupy it, without scorching a feather of his wings. Wittiam S. Hart, HorsesHor Rancu, Newuatt, Cattr. PRO-PROHIBITION To tHe Eprror or Lire. Str: I have not refused my son the privilege of bringing Lire home, even} though I have condemned its attitude in making Prohibition a thing to ridicule. But I believe there can be attained and maintained a higher standard of fun and humor for all citizens of whatever age by refusing to ridicule anything which is a law of the land. Contempt for law is our national “besetting sin,” and everything fostering that contempt is destructive rather than constructive. To uphold the value of citizenship in our nation should be at least a by-product of any nationally read magazine, and will make the youth problem less difficult. Atice T. THompson. Berkevey, Cauir. (Evrror’s Nore: Contempt for law was our nation’s “besetting sin” long before the Prohibition question ever came up. (Continued on page 32) When you throw most fastidious guests will be first to observe that you wish them to have only the best. The Finest Sparkling Table Water in the World Sole Importers: Apollinaris Agency Co, Filth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York This foolish gentleman has just broken one of his favorite canine incisors while trying to mark his new Wilson ball as he has been accustomed to marking ordinary balls— namely—by biting a little nick in ‘the paint near the name. Needless to say, he should have known better than to try a stunt like that on a tough ball like a Wilson in the first place. And in the second place, if he had chosen a Wilson colored ball he wouldn't have to mark it in the first place. Either Oriole-Orange or Canary-Yellow available in both Hol-Hi and Dura-Dist. HOL-HI a thoroughbred in performance $1.00 cach = - = = $10.75 per dozen DURA- DIST guaranteed for 72 holes 7Scentseach - - - - $9.00 per dozen CHEER LO guaranteed for 54 holes 50 cents each $6.00 per dozen ASK YOUR PRO OR DEALER GOLF EQUIPMENT WILSON-WESTERN SPORTING GOODS CO. NewYork Chicago - San Francisco MOTORING IN EUROPE? We will send you the finest automobile road map io colors of France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland and Rhine country. 32 sections. Postage free on receipt of $1.50, Specialists in automobile touring ‘anywhere in Europe. Fraser-McLean Company 1S E. S8th St. New York City [> Whi Poli gr-r- kno prob taki Ofte: Ther inclu Sher Ol year! of 1. your (450) LIF comicbooks.com