Life — December 1931 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "What Christmas Message This Year?" by E.S. Martin This is a **text essay, not a cartoon**. It's a editorial commentary on economic inequality and corporate consolidation during what appears to be the **early 20th century** (references to 1899 and William James suggest this period). The piece critiques **big business monopolies** that are eliminating small manufacturers and merchants, creating poverty and unemployment. Martin argues that wealthy corporations are prioritizing profit over human welfare, particularly during Christmas season—traditionally associated with charity. The essay advocates for redistribution of wealth to help "the hungry and unemployed" and warns that unchecked corporate consolidation threatens individual liberty and equality of opportunity. The "Christmas message" Martin proposes is essentially a call for social reform and economic justice—a radical statement for its era.