Life, 1929-04-12 · page 32 of 44
Life — April 12, 1929 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines a corporate advertisement with satirical humor typical of Life magazine's format. **The Main Advertisement:** A full AT&T testimonial describes a real 1928 Pennsylvania storm that downed 3,700 telephone poles and 11,000 miles of wire. The ad celebrates the Bell System's coordinated national response—crews mobilized from multiple states restored service within 72 hours. The message: the telephone monopoly's "One Policy, One System, Universal Service" proves indispensable during crises. **The Cartoons Below:** Two small jokes mock urban nightlife and contemporary attitudes. One depicts a man mispronouncing someone's name ("Joe, how d'ya suppose that guy pronounced his name?"), likely referencing speakeasies and social climbing in the Jazz Age. The other jokes about dating during cold season. **The Satire:** Life sarcastically frames a corporate propaganda piece alongside trivial comedy, suggesting the gap between AT&T's grand claims about national unity and ordinary Americans' petty concerns—dating mishaps and social embarrassment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Suddenly, out of a spring sky An Advertisement of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company Att was well on the telephone front on April 27, 1928. Sud- denly,out ofa spring sky,rain began to fall over central Pennsyl- vania. As night came on this turned into a furious storm of sleet, snow and wind. Inside of 48 hours, 3700 telephone poles were down. Seven thousand miles of wire tangled wreck- ¢. Thirty-nine exchanges isolated. Eleven thousand telephones silent. Repair crews were instantly mo- bilized and sent to the scene. From Philadelphia 47 crews came. Other arts of Pennsylvania sent 13. Ney Jersey, 6. New York, 4. Ohio, 6. Maryland and West Virginia, 12. In record time, 1000 men were string- ing insulated wire and temporary cables along the highways, on fences and on the ground. Within 72 hours the isolated exchanges were connected and the 11,000 telephones back in service. Then, while the tem- porary construction carried on, neighboring Bell System warehouses poured out all needed equipment, new poles were set, new crossarms placed and new wire and cable run. In any crisis there are no state lines in the Bell System. In all emer- gencies of flood or storm as well as in the daily tasks of extending and maintaining the nation-wide net- work, is seen the wisdom of One Policy, One System, Universal Service. Better and better telephone ser- vice at the lowest cost is the goal of the Bell System. Present improve- ments constantly going into effect are but the foundation for the greater service of the future. “Tue Tecernone Books are THE Directory or THE Nation” “Joe, how te panties that guy pernounced his name?” “Feed a cold and starve a fever,” say the doctors. What we would like to know is why every girl we take out has a cold instead of a fever. —London Opinion. For busy men and women—Abbort’s Birters, a de. Highefol tonic and invigorator. Sample by mail,’ 25 crs. Abbott & Co, Baltimore, Md. After painstaking research we have at last discovered what the Mexican revolution is about. It is about over. —New Yorker. Confider tial Guide (Continued from Page 7° Guinan’s, 203 West s4th. Whoopee. C.$4.00- 5.00. H.Carl. Mrpnicirr Frotic, New Amsterdam Theatre, Helen Morgan Chevalier, and a big check. *C.$6.60. Rexvezvous, Winter Garden Theatre. Clay- ton, Jackson and Durante, the funnicst birds in town. C.$3.00-4.00. H.Leon. Seactane, St. Regis Hotel, Vincent Lopez speaking. °C.$1.50-3.00. H.Charles. Vitra Vatee, 10 East Goth. Collegiate. *C.$2.00-3.00. H.Jean. Books Dovsworrt (Harcourt, Brace) by Sinclair Lewis—One sample of American marriage, at home and abroad. Lewis’ best—don't miss it. | Eastty Persuapen (Liveright) by Elizabeth Deanc—Sprightly and spicy adventures in living of a not too bright but beautiful young lady. Tite Cravce or tHe Deer (Simon & Schuster) by Joan Lowell—Exciting autobiography of a girl who was raised on a schooner Darx Star (Bobbs-Merrill) by Lorna Moon— Richly written story of a girl born into trouble. Recommended for its warmth and romantic color. Foorprints (Crime Club) by Kay Cleaver Strahan—A mystery is solved twenty-cight years after the discovery of the body. Probably the best detective story of the year. Tue Layton Court Mystery (Crime Club) by Anthony Berkeley—Orthodox but honest and entertaining detective tale. Dance Numbers (Sheet Music) “Yours Sincerely” (‘Spring Is Here”) “Song In My Heart” (“Spring Is Here”) “Red Hot Trumpet” (“Spring Is Here”) “No Other Love” (“Music In May”) “I Found A Friend” (“Music In May”) “My Lucky Star” (“Follow Thru”) “Button Up Your Overcoat” (“Follow Thru”) “I Want To Be Bad” (“Follow Thru’) “Raise ‘The Dust” (“Lady Fingers”) “Song of Songs” (“Lady of the Pavements”) Records Burrow Up Your Overcoar—(2) Mtax To Me (Columbia) Two songs by Ruth Etting (1) One of the snappy hits from “Follow Thru”. (2) Sentimental blues, not in strict tempo. Sarurpay Nicwr Fuxcriox—(2) Hien Lire (Victor) (1) Wherein a trumpet really gets mad and tells you so. (2) Faster, and hotter if possible. Kansas Crry Krrry—(2) Pat Wito Asour Horxs ox Avromosites (Columbia) Just nonsense. . fast and peppy. Dream Boat—(2) Frorerta (Victor) (1) A very lovely waltz. (2) Fox-trot. Both numbers from “Fioretta”. Tie Moocur—(2) Since You Went Awat (Brunswick) (1) Wild jungle jazz, played marvellously. (2) A nice easy fox-trot. How Loxc How Loxo Brurs—(2) My Kiva Love. (Brunswick) ‘ (1) Slow blues, with more of that certaid trumpet. (2) A good fox-trot. comicbooks.com