Life, 1928-11-09 · page 38 of 52
Life — November 9, 1928 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a scathing letter to *Life* magazine's editorial writer Elmer Davis, published during the 1928 presidential election. The correspondent attacks Davis's editorials as vapid and accuses him of promoting Catholic interests. **The Political Context:** The letter reflects the intense religious and ethnic tensions of 1928, when Al Smith—a Catholic, Irish-American Democrat from New York's East Side—ran for president. The writer, from rural Pennsylvania ("the Sticks"), expresses deep Protestant anxiety about Catholic influence, papal authority, and what he sees as urban corruption (Tammany Hall). **The Satire:** *Life* publishes this intolerant letter with an editorial note establishing Davis's credentials (Rhodes scholar, Mason, Baptist)—a subtle rebuke. By printing the letter unedited with Davis's impressive biography appended, the magazine mocks the correspondent's bigotry and ignorance, exposing the irrational fears driving anti-Catholic sentiment during the Smith campaign. The letter inadvertently reveals the prejudice it claims to oppose.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ECHOES — FRAGRANCE © Roger & Gallet 1923 Li THE VOICE OF AMERICA To Mr. Ever Davis, New York. FE Dear Sir: I do not believe I have ever read anything so pitiful as your attempts at editorial writing. They are even too piti- ful to be amusing. If there was the slight- est bit of humor in them we folks out here in the “Sticks” might understand the reason for them being printed for we have “been told” that Lire is a humorous magazine. And I will agree that it is humorous if your attempts are supposed to be taken seriously. The puzzling feature is this; Do you imagine for one second that any real honest-to-God people (which excludes all individuals of your type) pays the slight- est bit of attention to or permits their minds to be influenced in the least by all that bunk you have been attempting to put across. When will you learn that decent, clean thinking and living people will not tolerate for a minute the trash you write. The conceit of you New York- ers is unbelievable. With all your wisdom, the brand which we hear Al Smith put out over the radio, you have yet to learn that the Protestants of this country do not intend to permit Catholics of your breed and “culture”, with the aid of Tammany, to hand this country over to the Pope. You can rave all you want to about religious intoler- ance; the more you rave the more we laugh and the more votes you make for Hoover. You Catholics started this intol- erance years and years ago. We Protest- ants have been more or less dormant until you try to force on us, as President of our Country, an uncouth, ignorant agent of the Pope and Tammany hireling and expect us to sit back and let you get away with it. How ignorant you are of the sentiment and thoughts of we folks “out in the sticks”, Catholics of your brand are a menace to this country and society and we hope after the results are printed Nov. 7th., you will realize for once and for all that no damn Pope will rule America. Answer this in one of your columns of bunk. And to think you get paid for that stuff. It is printed in New York which accounts for it. Who ever heard on one decent thought coming from the minds of you East Side Micks. Joun C. Wittitams. University Cvs, Harrissurc, Pa. (Evrror’s Nore: Elmer Davis, Lirt’s editorial writer, was born in Aurora, In- diana, and was educated at Franklin Col- lege, in his native state, and later at Ox- ford as a Rhodes scholar. He started out as a teacher in the Aurora High School, and subsequently became a reporter on the staff of the New York Times. He is a Mason and a Baptist.) BUY DIAMONDS piecr FROM Jason Weiler & Sons, Boston, Mass, This Perfectly Cut One Carat Diamond is of Fine Brillianey Mounted in latest style 14K solid gold pierced ring. If this ring can be dup cated elsewhere for less than $200.00 your money (will be returned at once Our price di Que price direct $4 45,00 Fine bi white Dia- mond of rare] | D briltiancy set tn 18K solid] Diamoed white gold ring in new! Ring square prong effect—with| Fine blue white diament 6 smaller diamonds. with 2 marquise. shaped 4 An exquisite $150.00 |siamond $'§250" small diai A few weights and prices of other liamond rings ++ -$31.00 1 carat... .$145.00 50.00 2 carat...- 290.00 + 73.00 435.00 3 carat.. If desired. rings will be sent to any beak you may name or any Express Co. with privilege of examina- ton, Our diamond guar- antee for full value for all time goes with every pur- Ladies’ All Platioum wrt THI TODAY FOR TALOG FREE | “How To Buy Diamonds” This book ts beauti- sizes, prices and qual- thes," $20.00 $20,000.00. ered an authority. JASON WEILER & SONS 371 Washington Street, Boston, Mass. Corner of Washington and Franklin Streets Mfo. Wholesale and Retail Jewelers since 1870 Diamonds Importers since 1876 Foreiga Agencies: Amsterdam, London and Paris OF ALL SAD WORDS Tute Senator from the West sat in the lobby of a New York hotel admiring the scenery. Fi two of the component parts of the vivid land- scape moved in his direction and stopped directly in front of him “Good evening, look lonesome."* “Iam,” replied the Senator. “Well, forget it. Come along with us and we'll show you a good time."" The Senator sighed. ‘I can't do it,"" he said. “It’s too late."* “Aw,"’ replied the girl, only nine o'clock." “But I didn’t mean that,"* retorted the state man. “I meant twenty years." said one of the girls; “you ain’t late. It's —Collier's comicbooks.com