Life — April 4, 1930 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Explanation for Modern Readers This 1928 *Life* magazine page satirizes Prohibition and Liberty Bonds. The central illustration depicts an allegorical female figure (Liberty) elevated above a crowd, promoting Liberty Bonds as investments. The accompanying text argues that Prohibition costs the government enormous revenue—estimated at $316 million annually—through lost liquor taxes and enforcement expenses. The satire suggests that wealthy citizens should buy Liberty Bonds to compensate Uncle Sam for prohibition-related economic losses. The article sarcastically implies that Prohibition primarily benefits bootleggers and corrupt politicians rather than public welfare. The cartoon equates Bond investment with regaining national prosperity while acknowledging Prohibition's widespread failure to reduce drinking and its financial drain on government coffers.