Life, 1929-01-04 · page 31 of 36
Life — January 4, 1929 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mixes political satire with advertising. The "Chicago Day by Day" column satirizes Irish-American politics: Mr. Hogan's complaint that Ireland's independence was granted by Britain—removing the cause for Irish-Americans to fight for it—is darkly comic commentary on how political grievance fueled immigrant identity. The buried news item about 200 Indiana businessmen forming an armed anti-robbery group prompts Life's joke: these "tired business men" shooting competitively suggests they're being "disposed of" through the very activity meant to protect them—implying incompetence or fatal accidents among amateur gunmen. The page's advertisements (Bayer Aspirin and Smith & Wesson revolvers) work ironically alongside the satire: the gun ad promises safety through visible weaponry, while the news item hints guns cause the opposite. This juxtaposition reflects 1920s anxieties about armed civilians, crime prevention, and American violence—positioning the satirical jab at well-meaning but bumbling businessmen against commercial appeals to arm oneself.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CHICAGO DAY BY DAY (With Apologies to O. O. McIntyre) Bano! Bang!! Bang!!! “Now,” said Mr. O'Toole, “that Ire- land is free...” “Free!” said Mr. Hogan bitterly. “Sure, they forced freedom on us to keep us from fighting for it, the dirty tyrants!” “H. C, Watson, of Tipton county, Indiana, has been awarded a gold medal for his score as first in an annual pistol shoot at Fort Ben- jamin Harrison, Indiana, of 200 business men who have banded themselves together to combat hold-up men in the state. The organization is sopplemented by airplane scouts.”* —Trenton (N. ].) paper. Now we know how those tired business men are disposed of. ce Underworld = you never know when you It is always safe to give a Bayer tablet; there is not the slightest harm in genu- ine Aspirin. The doctor can assure you that it has no ill effects on the heart. And you probably know from experi- ence that Bayer Aspirin does banish all sorts of pain in short order. Instant telief for headaches ; neuralgia, neuritis. Rheumatism, too. Nothing like it for breaking up a cold. At all druggists, with proven directions enclosed. CPASPIRIN Ampitin to the trate mark of Ce Mencaceticncidester et Balcyuisacia SMITH THE + REVOLVE R are within their hearing. ODAY’S thieves, burglars and stick-up men are fiendishly clever. ‘‘Second offenders’’ can not afford to take chances. They usu- ally avoid the homes of those who are known to be armed. For there are plenty of safer victims. If you own a Smith & Wesson revol- ver, let it be known. Talk about it as a matter of course. To have such conversations repeated is often alone enough to save you the necessity of firing. You are not only known to be armed, but known to be armed with the most dependable and accurate revolver ever made. Our Descriptive Booklet “D” will be sent free upon request WESSON SPAINGFIELD,) MASS., U. 6.A. MANU FACTURB.ER_ The 32 and 38 calibre SOW Safety mates accidental discharge by adult or child impousible comicbooks.com