Life — May 1, 1931 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Speakeasies for Banks" This satirical piece critiques banks that have compromised their integrity by opening bars—a practice enabled by Prohibition-era workarounds. The cartoon depicts a ramshackle building where children play outside while adults engage in drinking inside, suggesting moral decay. The author argues that modern banks have eliminated their traditional responsibility to customers by refusing to cash travelers' checks or manage funds properly. He sarcastically proposes that if banks want to behave like speakeasies (illegal bars), they should simply operate as such openly. The piece mocks banks' loss of professional standards and suggests they've become as disreputable as Prohibition-era illegal establishments. The author threatens to move his business elsewhere, advocating for banks that maintain ethical standards rather than compromising dignity for profit.