Life — September 18, 1931 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Matter of Taste" - Life Magazine Satire This article satirizes the U.S. Postal Department's aesthetic choices. The author humorously critiques the "two-cent stamp bearing the likeness of a Red Cross nurse" and the regulation stamp featuring George Washington, objecting to Washington's stern expression. The main illustration depicts a couple in an intimate moment inside a large envelope or postal container—a visual joke about the postal theme. The caption reads: "Isn't it all just too romantically, distantly O. K.?" The satire mocks the Post Office's focus on practical glue composition (sweet potatoes, chicle, horse hooves) rather than artistic design. The author suggests alternatives like Benjamin Franklin or lollipops would be more tasteful for licking than current stamps. It's a lighthearted complaint about government neglect of aesthetic appeal in everyday objects.