Life, 1929-05-03 · page 9 of 44
Life — May 3, 1929 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces from Life magazine (circa 1929): 1. **Top cartoon**: "The aviation enthusiast who took all reasonable precautions" mocks early aviation risks. The absurdist image of an airship with a sleigh suggests the ridiculous contradictions some aviators employed—attempting to be "safe" while engaging in inherently dangerous activity. 2. **Bottom cartoon**: Features Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator, in what appears to be a plane. The caption "Just one more question, Colonel Lindbergh—what's the bride gonna wear?" references Lindbergh's recent marriage (1929), satirizing press obsession with celebrity gossip over serious matters. The page also includes "The Rise of Mrs. John B. Smith"—a satirical chronicle of social climbing through product endorsements (soap, cold cream, cigarettes), mocking how women achieved status via consumer marketing in the 1920s.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The aviation enthusiast who took all reasonable precautions. INstattMENT Version: Always put off until tomorrow what comes due today. At last we learn the truth about Custer’s Last Stand. It seems that he was on the wrong highway so his hot dogs and soft drinks went a begging. Tav—What became of that older sister you used to have? Cap—Oh, she’s that younger sister I’ve got now. / The Rise of Mrs. John B. Smith or Steps Up the Social Ladder 1920—Mentioned among those pres- ent at Palm Beach luncheon. 1921—Gives dinner at Pierre's. 1922—Included among list of promi- nent subscribers to Good Housekeep- ing. 1923—Listed among prominent peo- ple driving Packards. 1924—Name included in list of so- ciety women endorsing a toilet soap. 1925—Featured in toilet soap ad. 1926—Featured in one-page cold cream ad. 1927—Featured in two-page cream ad. 1928—Listed in Social Register. 1929—Indorses cigarette. cold A. S. “Why did Jones lose his job the Prohibition people?! “Too chicken-hearted.” “Chicken-hearted?” “Yep. He wouldn't shoot a woman in the back.” ra Wf “Just one more question, Colonel Lindbergh—what's the bride gonna wear?” comicbooks.com