Life, 1928-11-30 · page 30 of 52
Life — November 30, 1928 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines three satirical pieces with period advertisements: **"The Interview"** mocks wealthy financier Morgan Melton through repetitive questioning—the joke being his sole answer to every question is "Rest," satirizing the wealthy elite's leisure culture and disconnect from productive work. **"Rich Relations"** is biting social commentary on the burden of wealthy relatives. It argues that having rich family members is actually a liability disguised as an asset—they give unwanted hand-me-downs and impose social expectations rather than provide genuine help. The satire targets class anxiety and the performative nature of wealth display in early 20th-century America. **"Stop-Go"** humorously complains about traffic lights (then relatively new technology), personifying them as frustrating obstacles—reflecting contemporary anxiety about modern urban infrastructure. The advertisements for Mothersills seasickness remedy and Havana tourism reflect period leisure marketing. The page overall satirizes wealth, social climbing, and modern inconveniences of the Jazz Age era.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE INTERVIEW Morcan Metroy, the financial genius, arrived in a small market town for a well-deserved rest. Immediately the local paper sent up a young man to interview him. “What are you going to do while you're here?" asked the reporter. “Rest,"’ said Morgan Melton. “What exactly do you mean by rest?"* “Rest,"’ said Morgan Melton. “IE you see any other financiers in this coun- try, what will you discuss?”* “Rest.”* “One question more. What is your advice for young men in my position?” “Rest, young man—rest! And by all means begin at once!""—Answers RICH RELATIONS Ricit Retatioxs are a delusion and a snare. They are a mirage in the desert; they are Dead Sea apples filled with dust and ashes; they are mock-cherries loaded with blossoms that never bear fruit. They are patronizing to our attain- ments and curt to our friends, They are super- cilious to our sensibilities and critical of our failures. They are a stitch in the side to all social aspirations and a crick in the neck to our peace of mind. Rich Relations are considered an asset by those who are fortunate enough not to have any. Every one who is afflicted with them discovers they are a liability and a constant source of irrita- tion. They are dispensers of second-hand clothing and last-minute theater tickets, Speaking of hand-me-down clothes—a recipient of a Rich Relation’s bounty once said: “*All the things they send me are nice. So nice that 1 am de- | lighted to get them. But I wish I could once in a while buy my own clothes and the things I really want. It certainly gets tiresome always wearing the kind of clothes other people select.”* At best, the donations of Rich Relations do not compensate for the extravagant standard of living they establish for their family connections. Their gifts are cither luxuries or the kind of things they think their poor relations ought to have rather than the everyday necessities of life, Rich Relations prefer to give fur coats which are neither needed nor desired to paying for bread and potatoes. The essentials of life and health are too plebeian for them to think about. —E. A. McAlpin, in Scribner's. “STOP—GO" Twixxce, twinkle, traffic lights, How you balk me days and nights! Up above the crowded street, Making tic-ups most complete. Blinking green for “Go ahead""— Switching quickly then to red; Making anxious drivers wait— Making little jams seem great. Twinkle, twinkle, trafic light, How my happiness you blight— Don't you think if you would quit, Trafhe problems soon’ would flit? —H. 1. Phillips, in New York Sun Who can remember when the perfectly killing funny man at the party always said his favorite salad was a date with a peach? —Detroit News "MOTHERSILLS® Quickl Stops and Prevents Travel Sickness by AIR: SEA: TRAIN TO or A Havana, smartest city in Amer- ica, offers you thirteen daily hours of sunshine for spori, horse-racing on the prettiest track you've seen, a Jockey Club Where you may play, dine, dance or watch the races —Jai-Alai, fastest. game on earth—and the Casino, luxuri- ous shrine of a fickle goddess, with the best cook this side of Paris. Bring your car in free of duty and dis- cover romantic Cuba on velvet high- ways—the wondrous Isle of Pines— the sponge fisheries of Batabano— the Valley of the Yumuri—the Val- ly of Vinales—Pinar del Rio, home of “burning romance” in leaf— beautiful Matanzas. PMANRTELT CITT IM. AANmMENICY™. ———_ comicbooks.com