Life, 1929-05-17 · page 25 of 52
Life — May 17, 1929 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains international news briefs and a cartoon satirizing rural poverty during what appears to be the Prohibition era (references to liquor exports, "I'm Alone" cocktail). The main cartoon depicts a destitute farming family preparing to relocate, with the caption "we're gonna move, Mag. You can't raise nothin' here." The sketch shows impoverished conditions—sparse land, ramshackle shelter, barefoot children—illustrating Depression-era agricultural failure and forced migration. The surrounding "Life Abroad" briefs offer satirical contrasts: wealthy London socialites enjoying plentiful liquor, Parisians patronizing exclusive women's bars, while simultaneously reporting economic hardship (Moscow evictions, stranded Americans in Havana needing relief). The juxtaposition critiques global inequality and the disconnect between cosmopolitan leisure and widespread destitution—the cartoon's central theme of rural American displacement.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LONDON—Sir Chas. Higham has just returned from a trip to the States. “The liquor is as good in New York as in London,” compliments Sir Charles, “and seems more plentiful.” PARIS—Bars for women exclusively have made their appearance here. At “The Steam Room,” a smart place for the élite, the “I’m Alone” cocktail is being featured. LONDON (A. P.)—Wives in the East End of London are demanding as a condition of their political votes that they be entitled by law to weekly wages from their husbands. At pres- ent they are unprotected in this respect. The men argue that unsatisfactory housekeepers can be dismissed, but that a bad wife is a fixture. PARIS—The police are looking for a swindler known as Dencheaux, the Scholar. He made a living by imper- sonating dull students and taking ex- aminations for them in any profes- sion. He charged $100 or more per case. TORONTO~—J. N. Hennessey, of the Carling Brewing Company, tes- tified that his firm exported 50,000 bottles of lager beer daily to the United States, and sold only 1200 bot- tes daily to Canada. HAVANA—The first community chest drive in Havana attained the $72,000 sought in five days. The moncy will be used chiefly to relieve the wants of stranded Americans. LOUGHTON, England—Councillor S. H. Salter is not going to be gallant hereafter, even if it costs him political office. At a recent local council elec- tion, he obligingly held babies at the polling place so that mothers could go in and vote. Now he is in bed with measles. MOSCOW—Owners of homes here with incomes above $1500 a year, will be evicted. Working people will be given their houses, PARIS—M. Worth, of the famous Parisian dressmaking firm, asserts that the average Englishwoman dresses less well than the Frenchwoman, because her husband doesn’t want her to look smart and so perhaps be stared at in restaurants and other public places. “we're gonna move, Mag. You can’t raise nothin’ here.” comicbooks.com