Life, 1928-07-19 · page 9 of 40
Life — July 19, 1928 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces of satirical content: **Top Section:** A letter from "Oscar" (signed Paul Showers) describing a National Geographic expedition to remote regions, using deliberately obscure or made-up foreign terms ("Blirtz," "punkà," "calmph"). The satire mocks verbose travel writing and Geographic's pretentious exoticism. **Bottom Sections:** Two separate office/domestic satires. "When Women Do Their Housework as Men Do Their Office Work" depicts a woman treating household tasks with bureaucratic formality—suggesting absurdity in either applying office methodology to housework or vice versa. The lower cartoon, "If Radios Said Everything," shows a megaphone announcing payment notices during a social gathering, satirizing radio's intrusive advertising culture and how commercialism interrupts private life. All three pieces target early-20th-century pretension, gender role confusion, and consumer culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The National Geographic Mag- azine Author Writes Home My pear HELEN, We are to set out from here to- morrow morning about four o'clock for Blitzp in native bhoops drawn by tziks or blerfks as they are sometimes called the Grvbees in this region. We shall proceed as rapidly as possible to Klopz, a watering-place ten gligh, otherwise known as dbogz, to the east. Klopz is an ancient punka (commonly given the name of puhk—from which the quaint custom ot ftook comes), and there: we shall take on a supply of clmph and dkrtz before proceeding further. After a week or so of waiting, during which time our hadtaj (native strp) will have op- tunity to break in the tziks to the erdships that are ahead of us, we shall k up our dbnts and gljts and strike out for the props, as the Sgervbas here- abouts have dubbed the cfolpsh. I shall write you as often as possible. Our local xzypft only travel to Fpuds, and so I shall have to rely upon the rather indifferent service of our Ghrulis and Mgbankas. My love to the kiddies and tell Junior lll bring him a live pstklnfthy if he is very good. Lovingly, Oscar. Paul Showers, When Women Do Their House- work as Men Do Their Office Work “Let's see. What's this memo? Friday —make beds. Really ought to have a conference about that... .I'll take it up Monday with the other members of this family. Here’s another memo... .scrub kitchen floor. Should have been done last Monday. Seems I can’t get any co- operation in this family. It would be a great day for bridge if I didn’t have all this work piled up. (Buzz.) ‘Helen, get_me a cake of soap. What? No sap? Did you look in the kitchen cab- inet under “S"? Tell Rose to come in after. I want to dictate a letter to the National Soap & Sud Co., demanding why that last consignment of three cakes has not arrived. And, Helen, get me a cake of scented soap; I'll try that. The true test of a great executive is her ability to adapt herself to any situation, Get me a mop, Helen. ...and remember that Hs not to ber disrarbed This are a great day for a bridge party. ‘Ah, there you are vith the ioe 6 What's that, Helen? You say a woman is wait- “Why are you leaving the party so early, Joe?” “Oh, I've got to get the car home in time for dad to drive it to work.” ing to be interviewed? About a posi- tion? Nonsense! = Ohhhhhh. .. .about scrubbing the kitchen floor. Keep her walting a couple of minutes before you send her in.’ Maybe I can get to that bridge rty. (Buzz.) ‘Listen, Helen, you'll have to hire that scrub- woman. I'm very busy, you know. Thank you, Helen.’ Well, that’s a good day’s work done. Guess I deserve a little recreation. Hope they have nice prizes at the bridge party H. F. Mueller. Poputar music reminds us that it’s a short strain that has no returning. Ir Rapws Sam EverytHinc comicbooks.com