Life — January 16, 1931 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Life Looks About" - Page Analysis This page contains three separate articles critiquing social reform movements. The illustration shows a cherub-like figure (labeled "Mr. Coolidge on Wheat") examining a wheat stalk—satirizing President Coolidge's wheat policies. The articles discuss: 1. **Mr. Coolidge's wheat policies** - The author criticizes Coolidge's inconsistent stance on agricultural tariffs, suggesting his administration's wheat-boosting policies lacked credibility. 2. **Utopian communities** - Mocking experiments like New Harmony (Robert Owen's failed 1826 settlement) and Russian communalism as naive attempts to reorganize society. 3. **The Salvation Army** - Questioning whether the organization should receive public relief funds, highlighting disputes over how charitable money should be distributed. The overall tone suggests skepticism toward both government and idealistic reform efforts.