Life, 1929-01-11 · page 26 of 36
Life — January 11, 1929 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes two distinct social phenomena of the 1920s era: **"Wanted: $1,000,000"** is a mock charitable appeal parodying fundraising campaigns of the period. The unnamed narrator (likely representing an editor or society figure) humorously solicits donations with *zero accountability*—explicitly promising "no definite object in exchange." The satire mocks both the era's craze for organized "drives" and charitable competitions between cities, while also satirizing the wealthy's self-indulgent spending. The editor's note ("Don't take this gentleman seriously. Send no money") signals the entire piece as ironic social commentary. **The two cartoons** depict separate scenarios: The top cartoon shows a man in poverty contrasting his past luxury; the bottom shows what appears to be a police or authority figure watching someone escape via airplane, with the caption joking about unexpected aerial getaways. The overall message critiques American materialism, charitable hype, and competitive civic pride—exposing how fundraising campaigns often prioritize spectacle over genuine charitable purpose.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
As all campaigns must have official names, this million dollar project will be known as the Qilg Chest Drive. Let's together and put it over with a bang! Every week, Lire will announce the growth of the fund. Every week the ac L count of how I am spending the million will be faithfully recorded for your amus. ment. Why not organize a Contributory Club of your own? Vie with the hup dreds of other clubs that are being formed this very minute. Make it @ matter of Civic Pride! Can Holyoke, Mass., send me a greater flock of dollars than Chul Vista, Cal.? In the city that sends me the most, in proportion to its population, [ shall publicly unveil a statue to the God dess of Generosity and Munificence, (f shall carve this statue myself out of stra berry jello.) Advertise the campaign by wearing the Contributor's Button here pictured. Watch for our other campaign trinkets—the hat bands, the armbands, the anklets and the cute little Qilg tags to hang from your cars! Whoop it up, and give until it hurts! Make America deserve her envied repute tion of being the Greatest Sporting Nation of All Time! Assure yourself of a life of fun. Make me a millionaire! ED. NOTE: Don't take this gentle man seriously. Send no money, From tHe Ancient Cringe: Any woman hates, unto the limits of her “Yep, I was raised in the lap of luxury.” hatred, the one who gets the man whom “Well, Bo—she sure stood up.” she has discarded. Wanted: $1,000,000 An Appeal to the Sportsmanship of the American People (Continued from page 12) genius has made life a perpetual frolic!” What an opportunity I am laying before you! Here I promise to accept your money —offering no definite object in exchange. There will be no profit sharing coupons. Never before has such a romantic propo- sition been put up to you. When you send money to your landlord, when you write out checks for your groceries and gas, you know precisely that it is going for dull, unimaginative commodities. You know precisely how your creditors are going to . te z F “ spend it. No adventure in this, whatever. 3 But in sending your dollar to me... ah! 4 here is mystery; here is intrigue and ex- hilaration! All you know is that the money E will liberate the fetters from a million | | ~~ "2 f seething impulses, all guaranteed to be => irresponsible and scatterbrained. Every — - — dollar will quash an inhibition! Cor: Well, what d'ye know about that? He got away in an airyplane! comicbooks.com