Life — January 16, 1931 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "What To Do When the Bank Fails" This satirical article by John C. Emery humorously advises readers on maintaining composure during a bank failure—a serious concern during the Great Depression era. The accompanying comic strip (artist signed "O. Soglow") depicts office workers discovering their bank has collapsed, showing them crowding outside the "J. Popmomalino Tonsorialist" (likely a barber shop serving as a front). The satire mocks both the panic that bank failures inspired and suggests the absurdity of pretending normalcy in crisis. The advice to sit calmly, stare into space, and go home "happy in the thought that you were overdrawn" darkly jokes about financial ruin. The brief accompanying items ("Ghastly Thought," "Handy Clue," "Mutual Interests") continue the cynical, comedic tone typical of Life magazine's social commentary.