A complete issue · 46 pages · 1919
Life — November 20, 1919
# Life Magazine, November 20, 1919 This page features a political cartoon satirizing post-World War I negotiations. Two figures stand amid floating bubbles labeled with terms like "MARINES," "GENERAL," "ROOSEVELT," and "CONDOMINIUM." The caption reads: "Do you remember Sam, how nice and peaceful it was during the war?" The cartoon appears to reference the Treaty of Versailles negotiations and post-war diplomatic tensions. The irony is stark: the speaker suggests wartime was more peaceful than the chaotic peace negotiations that followed. The bubbles likely represent competing nations' demands and conflicting interests during the peace process. This reflects widespread American anxiety about whether the peace settlement would actually produce lasting stability—a common concern in 1919 as the League of Nations debate raged in Congress.
# Analysis This page is **not a cartoon or satirical content**—it's a cigarette advertisement for Camel brand cigarettes by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. The ad promotes Camels as superior quality smokes, emphasizing their Turkish and Domestic tobacco blend. Key claims include smoothness, mild flavor, and that they "never tire your taste." The visual shows a pack of Camels alongside individual cigarettes. Modern readers should note this represents an era when tobacco advertising was legal in mainstream magazines and made health claims (or implied them) without regulatory restrictions. The ad's language—"prove a cigarette revelation"—reflects 1920s marketing style. There is no satire present; this is straightforward product promotion from Life magazine's commercial pages.
# Hansen Gloves Advertisement This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not a political cartoon. The page promotes Hansen Gloves from the O.C. Hansen Manufacturing Company (Milwaukee, Wisconsin). The central image shows a fist grasping what appears to be a hammer or tool, symbolizing work and labor. The surrounding images display various glove styles numbered with product codes—ranging from dress gloves to heavy work mittens designed for different professions and activities. The slogan "Every Man—Every Need" emphasizes that Hansen produced specialized gloves for diverse occupations and occasions. The accompanying text highlights the company's quarter-century history of meeting workers' practical needs across "every field of activity," positioning the product as an essential gift or necessity rather than a luxury item.
# Page Analysis This Life magazine page is primarily **advertising and editorial content** rather than political satire. The main elements are: 1. **"King Solomon Handeth Down a Decision"** — A humorous anecdote about King Solomon settling a disputed child custody case, presented as an amusing historical tale rather than contemporary satire. 2. **Advertisements** dominate the page: Bevo (a soft drink by Anheuser-Busch), Electric Cleaners, and Cook's Tropical Cruise. These ads target affluent readers with leisure activities and domestic services. 3. **"The Good Things of Life"** — An editorial section discussing quality-of-life matters, emphasizing climate and environment. The page reflects early 20th-century consumer culture and advertising practices rather than containing pointed political commentary or caricature-based satire typical of Life's cartoons.
# Page Analysis This page is primarily **advertising**, not satire or political commentary. The left side contains ads for **Fownes Gloves** and **Waterman's Ideal Fountain Pen Ink**—standard commercial products. The dominant feature is a large **W.L. Douglas Shoes advertisement**. The ad includes a portrait (appears to be W.L. Douglas himself) and emphasizes the company's direct-to-consumer sales model that allegedly keeps prices lower than competitors. The ad claims W.L. Douglas shoes are "sold by 106" dealers and emphasizes value and quality craftsmanship. Below this is an **article titled "Ennui and the Laboring Classes,"** discussing how monotonous work and emotional stress affect workers. The article advocates for recreational outlets like dancing to relieve workers' emotional burdens. **No political cartoon or satire is present on this page**—it's a typical Life magazine advertising section with accompanying editorial content.
# Page 848: Life Magazine Advertisements This page consists entirely of **period advertisements** rather than editorial cartoons or satire. The ads include: 1. **Stetson Hats** (top left): Promotes Derby and Soft Hat styles for fall/winter, emphasizing quality despite "difficult times" (likely referencing economic hardship). 2. **Milo Violets** (top right): A perfume or toiletry product marketed in an ornate box. 3. **An unnamed beverage** (bottom left): Shows a bottle "served like champagne," suggesting a sparkling wine or similar drink. 4. **Mailliard Cocoa & Chocolate** (bottom right): Features an elegant storefront at Fifth Avenue and 35th Street, New York, established 1848. No political satire or caricature appears on this page—it reflects early 20th-century consumer advertising and luxury goods marketing.
# Analysis This page is primarily **advertising**, not satirical content. The cartoon at top-left appears to be a generic comic vignette about smoking etiquette—a man asks another, "How can I do anything for you if you still persist in smoking? That's what I'm paying you to find out." This is a mild joke about workplace annoyance with smoking, likely reflecting contemporary attitudes rather than political satire. The main content is a cruise advertisement for the S.S. EBRO visiting South American ports, and promotional material for American Express travel services. The left column contains a rhymed tribute to Theodore Roosevelt's letters to his children—a nostalgic celebration of the former president's family life, emphasizing his role as a devoted father. This reflects his positive cultural standing in the 1920s-30s era. No sharp political satire is evident on this page.
# Life Magazine Page Analysis This page satirizes early 20th-century labor disputes and urban anxieties through three vignettes titled "Extremes Meet," "Threatened Scarcity," and "In Between." The left section mocks Brooklyn plumbers' wage demands (starting January 1st), quoting Charles Durley Warner's prediction that rising wages won't solve worker discontent. The satire suggests laborers complain perpetually regardless of pay increases. The center section ironically presents welfare concerns—the wealthy worry poverty will disappear, leaving insufficient poor people "to go around." The right section jokes about suburban flight, with someone asking "what is a suburb, anyhow?"—suggesting confusion among city dwellers about the emerging suburban lifestyle. "The Débutante" illustration (bottom) appears unrelated to the labor theme. Together, these pieces critique both labor unrest and class anxieties during an era of industrial change.
# Analysis This page contains **social notes from Soviet Russia** mocking the Soviet government's abolition of Christian names in favor of numerals. The text lists Russian citizens with names like "Kaleidovitch 1" and "Bustof 1," satirizing this policy by presenting ordinary social announcements (engagements, births) using the new numerical system. The cartoon depicts a tiger about to attack a woman, with dialogue mocking danger ("Don't bother me, I don't care what happens to a sabre-tooth tiger"). This appears to be satirical humor about Soviet indifference to threats. Below are sections on writer Roland Rohlfs and a joke about a Ouija board replacing a player-piano. The page primarily ridicules Soviet social policies through satire rather than offering serious political critique.
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 853 **Top Cartoon**: A social gathering where a man is warned not to repeat a compliment he made about another man's wife being "the handsomest woman in the room" — before that wife arrived. The joke satirizes gossip and social hypocrisy: the compliment becomes problematic once circumstances change, revealing how men's flattery is insincere and contextual rather than genuine. **"The Lacking Essential"**: A business dialogue where Platts asks Crerason if his new business is ready to start. Crerason has everything except "the consent of the union" — satirizing labor union power and their ability to block commercial enterprises regardless of other preparations. **"Progress"**: A poem by Hersey Allen contrasting Pittsburgh's past backwardness with its modern progress, noting how whiskey is now illegal (Prohibition era) and Washington's reputation has declined.
# Analysis of "The Mistake of a Lifetime" This page contains a short story about Theodore Munson, a wealthy coal dealer, and his new bride of three weeks. The narrative satirizes gender roles and marital expectations of the era. The top cartoon depicts cupids or cherubs arguing with weapons, captioned "Another Argument in Favor of a Bone-Dry World"—likely satirizing Prohibition debates by suggesting that without alcohol, even love itself becomes combative. The lower illustration shows a woman bathing, captioned "Columbia: Get Ready For Your Bath, Young Man; You're Just As Dirty As He Is"—this appears to be political commentary using "Columbia" (the American female personification) to criticize industrial pollution or social conditions, possibly directed at wealthy industrialists like the story's coal-dealing protagonist. Both pieces mock the wealthy while commenting on contemporary social issues around industry, morality, and gender.
