Life, 1929-02-08 · page 13 of 44
Life — February 8, 1929 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Cartoon ("Wasted Effort"):** A salesman returns to find his boss laughing at his expense account. The joke mocks office dynamics—the boss enjoys humiliating employees over minor financial overages, suggesting petty office management culture. **"Who's Who in Verse":** A biographical poem about Henry Louis Mencken, a prominent American literary critic and satirist known for sharp social commentary. The verse humorously catalogs his accomplishments and quirks, including his criticism of American habits and neighbors. **Bottom Cartoon:** Dogs in formal attire question "General Scottie" about his "rating experiences." This appears to be a humorous play on military rank among dogs, possibly satirizing how people anthropomorphize pets or mock military formality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WASTED EFFORT Motner: Run upstairs and say your prayers now. Wiute: I don’t think it will do any good, Ma. Our preacher's out of town, you know. In this automobile age our national air comes near being carbon monoxide. REQUIRED Crerk: Could I show you some book ends? Customer: Happy ones? SALESMAN (just returned): What's the boss laughing so hard about? Orrice Manacer: He's having a little fun at your expense account. Who's Who in Verse Henry Louis Mencken Ler Freshmen worship H. L. Mencken, Who interlards his choice Gedenken With tabs of High School German Prose To show the World how Much he knows. In Youth, a desultory Japer, He ran a Column in a Paper And rashly published (hear him curse!) Some awful “Ventures into Verse.” He rose to Fame by rapid Stages On mounting Piles of printed Pages And now conducts a Magazine Of Superculture bound in Green. By giving of his Best, or jeering, Perchance by buying Bonds, or sneering, This patriot from Baltimore Has served his Land in Peace and War. He aids domestic Arts and Letters By hurling Brickbats at his Betters Convincing ‘all the Well Advised That he is Highly Civilized. He ridicules the Nation’s Habits And calls his Neighbors Boobs and Bab- bitts, | Which leaves the Highbrows pleased and awed | And makes him popular Abroad. | Arthur Guiterman._ | | He (telephoning): V'll be there in a} jiffy! Sue (disappointedly): Aw, 1 thought you had a Chrysler! And then there’s the story about the | spiritualist who couldn’t go to sleep be- cause the shades were flapping in he- Toom all night. “Oh, dear General Scottie, do tell us some of your ratting experiences!" comicbooks.com