Life, 1929-03-15 · page 9 of 44
Life — March 15, 1929 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical humor pieces typical of Life magazine's social commentary: **Top illustration**: Shows a couple relaxing, captioned "My Dear, he's a man in a million" / "Must be a Vice-President." This satirizes corporate culture, implying that only unremarkable men achieve executive status. **"In Place of Sweets"**: A dark joke about Depression-era scarcity, where Marie Antoinette's famous "let them eat cake" quote is inverted—suggesting the poor smoke cheaper cigarettes instead. **"About Face"**: Mocks legal/political absurdity: a prisoner facing execution dismisses the severity, while an editor's complaint about stock-holder terminology reveals institutional priorities over justice. **"Safety in Numbers"**: A brief joke about group confidence enabling risky behavior. The overall tone reflects 1920s-30s skepticism toward authority, wealth inequality, and institutional pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
/ If Eddie Guest and Dorothy Parker Wrote a Poem How lovely to hoe in your garden When twilight surrenders to eve. (How lovely! I’m asking your pardon While I slip a laugh up ny sleeve!) For all of your glittering treasure My bailiwick I wouldn't swap. (Is milking a Holstein a pleasure? This pastoral life is a flop!) My days are secluded and prayerful My tulips and lilacs among. (A guy who's so dumb should be care- ful Or some sunny day he'll get stung!) My life is a lilting libretto; My birds merry melodies give. (Oh gawd! for a gun, a stiletto— This guy is too simple to live!) Arthur L. Lippmann, Safety in Numbers Nitr: Would you be afraid to hunt grizzly bears with a club? Witr: Not if there were enough members in the club. The man who doesn’t care what anyone thinks settles down with a package of Luckies and a box of sweets “ , : oye oe to enjoy an Old Gold radio program. "My Dear, he’s a man in a million, 1 i “Must be a Vice-President.” In Place of Sweets Mane Axrotnerte: If they have no bread, why don’t they eat cake? \rrenpant: They have no cake. “Then let them smoke Luckies.” About Face Counset: Do you realize you're f the electric chair? Prisoner: I don’t mind facing it; it’s siting in it I don’t like. Evrror—“Look here, what do you mean by this? ‘Among the most beautiful girls was Judge Horatio Bungle.’ Bungle isn’t a girl, you idiot! He's one of our principal stockholders.” Sociery Reporter—“I can’t help that, chief. That's where he was.” Poto Star: “Do you mind hurrying, dear, I'd like to polish my boots?” comicbooks.com