Page 1… Letters to the Editor

Page 2… Interview with Mary Pickford

Page 3… Babe Ruth’s up to Bat

Page 4… No New World without Women

Page 5… Ad for Ford Car

Page 6… Prohibition Pro and Con

Page 7… The Greatest and Most Sensational Scandal in the History of American Politics

Page 8… Ad for The Goldbergs

Page 9… Lynching’s Throw the Nation into Chaos

Page 10… In Memory of Sacco and Vanzetti

Page 11… Ad for Oscar Mayer Wieners

Page 12… Science vs. Religion still a Debate

Page 13-14… Political Cartoons

1920’s Year in Review

Dear Life Magazine Editor,

My name is Dorothy, and I currently work for U.S. Steel production. I have noticed labor unions on the rise in my company, and the majority of the people forming these labor unions are immigrants, especially those of the Russian decent. I am strongly against labor unions. I am not alone; a lot of my coworkers are against them as well. About 2 months ago a large population of the workers, who were Russian, went on strike with the labor union they were affiliated with. Luckily, the government officials sent in their troops to end the strike. Fear and agitation surged through me after that event, because after a downturn I would expect labor unions to decline. They have not. Now it seems to me that ever since the Russian Revolution in 1917, the communist leaders who took power in Russia also took a pledge to inspire revolutions in the other nations among the working class, especially in the United States. I don’t want to call labor unions a threat, but because of the influence from overseas, I think that they could be. I believe that labor unions are negatively affecting my workplace, and the nation’s economy. At work the immigrants still have the attitude of a communist, which is completely different from our democratic views, and the thought of having people even in my work trying to

take over the country through strikes and such, jolts me. This issue is just a sockdollager. There needs to be a stop to organized labor unions, or the nation’s stability is in risk. Factors like pro-business attitude and consumerism can help lead to the decline of these Labor Unions. Until America adopts this attitude, this “prosperity era” we had will change; we will see a continuous rise in the unemployment rates, and competition for jobs will become more intense. America will have its downfall, and slowly hit depression. Many may be static with my opinion, but this is a serious issue for me, and there are many middle class workers who can’t afford to lose their jobs.

I know that Life Magazine is a well respected magazine, and that people across the nation, from every state, take time to read it. I would like for you to address this situation in your next issue. It would not only be beneficial for the nation, but for the whole world, because more action against the terrorizing unions needs to be taken.

Yours sincerely,

Dorothy Brooks

Dear Life Magazine Editor,

As I was going through your article in the 1926 edition about the “New Negro Movement,” I was wondering why it only mentioned the spread of Jazz music. Although the spread of Jazz music from New Orleans to many other areas of America was one of the most significant aspects of the New Negro Movement, there were many important points not mentioned in the article. For example, the famous poet Langston Hughes was only briefly mentioned, when his work deserved at least a paragraph. Some of Hughes work includes, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”, an extremely popular poem, and “The Weary Blues”, a collection of poems. Although Jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong helped establish a growing sense of pride within the black community, what about Laura Wheeler Waring, a famous artist?

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and while I did appreciate the effort put into the “New Negro Movement” article, I believe that more than just jazz musicians should have been spoken of in it.

Sincerely,

Mary Johnson

Interview with Mary Pickford By: Christene Thomas

Q: So Mary, how does it feel to be known as "America's Sweetheart," "Little Mary" and "The girl with the curls”?

Mary: Awe Applesauce, I don’t have anything to say about that. It’s what my fans want to remember me as. I hope my fans not only remember me from my nicknames, but also remember me for the movies I played a role in.

Q: Which were the best movies you’ve performed in till today?

Mary: “Friends”, “The Mender of Nets”, “Just Like a Woman”, and “The Female of the Species” would be the ones I was really strong in.

Q: Over the last 10 years, how do you think the film industry has grown?

Mary: The film industry's growth during the 1920s is revolutionizing American entertainment. More and more people go to see movies, and the quality of movies has increased.

Q: Do you think the society has accepted this?

Mary: Well every now and then when I go to watch a movie, I see film goers flocking to the theater, as an escape from reality. I think they have accepted that watching a movie is a great form of entertainment.

Q: What is one thing you would want to tell a person, as a piece of advice?

Mary: “If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.”

Mary Pickford

Babe Ruth and his Epic Bat

The joyful noise of the bat hitting the ball echoes throughout the stadium. Yankee fans turn their heads in unison, trying to keep their eyes on the ball. The gasps of the opposing team can be heard throughout the city as Babe Ruth once again hits a home run. George Herman Ruth, a.k.a. “Babe” Ruth has been playing for the New York Yankees ever since he was sold to them by the Red Sox in 1920. The day the

Yankee’s decided to bring Babe Ruth to their team was a great day for them indeed. In 1920 alone, Ruth slugged an astonishing .847, along with 54 home runs. The Yankees became the first team to draw more than one million fans to a ballpark, which was more than double the attendance of any other club that year. As Yankee manager Miller Huggins said, "They all flock to see him," because the American fan "likes the fellow who carries the wallop."

People all over the country united to celebrate the

successes of Babe Ruth. He is a hero of America; he brings together its people as one. "He is a circus, a play and a movie, all rolled into one," said teammate Lefty Gomez. "Kids adore him, Men idolize him. Women love him. There is something about him that made him great."

1926 was one of Babe Ruth’s best years. He batted .372 with 47 home runs and 146 RBIs. His fans declared him a true role model when he promised the seriously-ill 11 year-old, Johnny Sylvester, that he would hit a home run on his behalf. In 1927, Ruth

blasted a record of 60 homers in one season and batted .356, drove in 164 runs and slugged .772, leading the Yankees to a great season. Ruth did give some credit to his teammate Lou Gehrig saying, "Pitchers began pitching to me because if they passed me they still had Lou to contend with." Gehrig at the time, was also contender for a home run record, but ended the season with 47 homers to Ruth’s 60.

“Ruth is a sight to see. He is the bee’s knees. When his bat hits the ball, the whole stadium screams ‘Attaboy Babe Ruth!’ even some rooting for the other team.” Robert Smithson said as he described his experience at a recent ball game. Babe Ruth and others have made baseball the most popular sport in America, beating out other up and coming sports like football, and boxing.

Babe Ruth will always be in the baseball history books. But, will he be able to break his already outstanding homerun record before he retires? We will all have to wait and see.

Babe Ruth’s up to Bat By: Kaleigh Ervin

Imagine, a women, a wife, she has been married for 14 years, she is mother of 2 young children, and all she did after her marriage was live surrounded by 4 walls, with no independence. Weekly she was beaten by her drunken husband who was too drunk to earn a steady income. If she got lucky, she would have a day where her family actually ended the day with a smile. She was never given a chance to pick and choose how her lifestyle could be. She wasn’t allowed to vote, nor was she ever given a change to enjoy her life. Now how is she to change her life, and turn it around to where she has no more pain, and nothing is stopping her from living her given life?

The 19th amendment, granted one major factor that drastically affected the society and culture, Voting Rights. Women finally won their struggles and battles to be given the eligibility to vote. Now picture the same lady at home, smiling. She now has the right to vote for what she believes will benefit the beautiful nation she lives in. She has a newfound voice in politics and this voice

carries over to her social life. This mother can now also works and earns money to pay for her personal expenses. She is more independent, and has more freedom. All this was made possible by the many female political strategist, feminist, and suffragists. Alice Paul individually impacted American History by securing equal rights for women, and believing that men and women should have equal rights in the society. She went above and beyond. She was the first person to picket the White House, the first to attempt a national political boycott, the first to burn the president in effigy, and the first to lead a successful campaign of nonviolence. She even lobbied the Congress for what she wanted. It is because of her and other feminists like Susan B Anthony that all of this was possible. Woman’s suffragists struggled to obtain equality, but eventually obtained support for the 19th Amendment and promoted awareness for the many women who deserved the right to be treated equally like the man of the house.

This was a start, a new change for the women population

in the society. Changes in the society and culture have now occurred. Our women, are now independent, and have the right to do as they wish. A clear lifestyle shift has come in place. Fashion and body change has clearly caught the eye of the beholder since it’s more prominent. Disapproving adults called them flappers, but these independent women have begun to expose more skin by wearing short skirts. They have started to be a little rebellious and dress with the ongoing trend. These women present themselves well; they use cosmetics and have short hair, topping it off with a top fitting hat to cover. A few have even started smoking and dancing. The women have surely begun to use their freedom to the fullest; they are even taking steps to earn the right to easy access of birth control.

Only one decade has passed, but so much has changed, women are given a higher place in the society. If the nation needs a change, people need to change, and if people change there will be a new world, and that women will continue to play a big role in it.

No New World without Women By: Christene Thomas

Liquor

Pro-Prohibition By: Kaleigh Ervin

The Prohibition of Alcohol with the 18th amendment is one of the best things that has happened to this country since our independence. Within the first 5 years of Prohibition, alcohol consumption dropped by 15%. Some may say that because drinking liquor is illegal, people now find the thrill of breaking the law enjoyable, but eventually the thrill will fade, and liquor consumption will reduce even more.

Now that less and less fathers are drinking, in-house-violence has reduced, and this has brought families closer together. You see more families out together at the local base ball, and football games than ever before. People may argue that they should have the choice of what to do with their bodies, even if they are harming themselves, but in the case of alcohol, the people drinking it can unintentionally hurt people around them also.

Before the 18th amendment was put into place, domestic violence was on a rise in our nation because of drinking. But, many people who used to purchase liquor on a regular basis have discontinued this act because they really are noble people, and they prefer to abide by the law. Another benefit of the 18th amendment is that now, there is less social pressure to drink. Basically, alcohol and liquor are both unnecessary and un-useful, and if the 18th amendment is able to stay strong, America will grow and thrive for many days to come.

Anti-Prohibition By: Kaleigh Ervin

Ever since the 18th amendment was put into place, more and more people have begun to drink. You would think that making something illegal would make it less prominent, and at first it did, but eventually drinking rates began to rise once again.

People like the thrill factor of doing something illegal. Drinking is illegal, so now they feel “rebellious” when purchasing it. And although some people have reduced the amount they drink, the rise in organized crime is enough reason in itself to repeal the 18th amendment. Most large cities are uninterested in enforcing the legislation, which leaves their duties of catching bootleggers up to the understaffed federal service. Speakeasies run wild with no one

stopping them from forming. The federal government has to spend thousands of dollars attempting to

stop the illegal trade of liquor, and has not seen any good results yet. Soon enough American will be in horrific debt because all the money wasted by the government trying to control alcohol consumption.

And, not only has the outlawing of liquor caused a rise in organized crime, and unnecessary federal spending, it has also infringed upon a person’s rights. Having the choice to drink alcohol is part of personal freedom. What people do in their private time should not be regulated by the government if America is truly the "land of the free.” Overall, the 18th amendment needs to be repealed immediately or else our nation will suffer.

The Greatest and Most Sensational Scandal in the History of American Politics

By: Christene Thomas

Albert B Fall, Secretary of Interior, leased the U.S. Navy's petroleum reserves to private companies in a bribe which took place at the Teapot Dome in United States in 1922-1923. The money he earned he spent on personal things. There is evidence in the Teapot Dome scandal that implicates that President Harding assisted Albert Fall, and this lead the public to turn against the president.

The scandal took its name from Teapot Dome, the rock formation in Wyoming that stands atop a large government naval oil reserve. Newspapers and citizens refer to this scandal as the greatest and sensational scandal in the history of American politics. It has ruined the reputation of President Warren G. Harding, who served in this decade from 1921-1923. After this scandal, he nation began to

refer to Harding as the worst president of the country. In the early 20th century President Taft helped form Naval Oil Reserves in several oil producing areas, including the Teapot Dome in Wyoming. After Harding won presidency in 1921, he made an executive order to transfer the control of the Oil reserves from the Navy Department to the Department of the Interior. In 1922 the order was implemented, afterwards Albert Fall persuaded himself into control. Fall was convicted of taking bribes from the oil executives.

Fall's oversight of the leasing seemed unimportant. When asked about the secrecy of the arrangements Fall replied that national security required it. Progressives and environmentalists were unhappy with Fall's policies continued to pursue the

matter, leading to congressional investigations. Fall refused to testify before congressional committees, witnesses pled the Fifth Amendment, and insiders testified to widespread corruption. Eventually Fall earned the dubious distinction of being the first cabinet member to go to prison for a crime committed while in office, thus forever linking Warren Harding's administration with corruption.

Teapot Dome, however, involved more than a simple case of bribery. It is now remembered for the scandalous relationship between money and political influence. The scandal was the most famous scandal because it ruined the reputation of President Warren G. Harding. This will forever be a scar on the decade.

A mob in the early 1920s

Lynching’s throw the nation into chaos by: Kaleigh Ervin

A crowd had gathered around in the middle of the street. The sun was shining, and wind sifted through the trees. Children who were unable to see what was going on climbed upon their parent’s shoulders. What is going on? A lynching, an unlawful mob killing of a Negro. Although not all people present in the audience fully understand what is going on, many do, many choose to watch this torturous event as a form of entertainment.

In 1920 alone, 53 blacks and 8 whites were lynched. Most often these lynching’s were done by whites against blacks. Some lynching’s attracted thousands of spectators who traveled to the area “waiting for the action to begin”. The people committing these

atrocious acts attempted to justify their actions by falsely accusing the victims of whistling at white women, expressing sympathy for a lynched person, or insisting on voting.

Radical prejudices went through the roof in the early 1920’s. And prejudice acts still occur throughout the nation. People purposefully harm others by anything from calling them names to murdering them. Our nation is extremely un-unified. It’s as though it is whites against the rest. The KKK, re-

established in 1915, is a white supremacist group that was formed during the Civil-War. This group is a great example of the discrimination that has been going on recently in this nation. The

KKK not only discriminates against blacks, but also Catholics, Jews,

immigrants, homosexuals, Asians, drug dealers, “wild women”, the and Pope. In 1924 the group was up to 4 million members.

Why are groups like these

gaining members? Since the Emancipation

Proclamation was declared, it would be assumed that different races would be viewed as more equal, but Lynching’s and other types of dreadful demonstrations of discrimination still go on frequently.

Sacco and Vanzetti

In Memory of Sacco and Vanzetti By: Jessica Berdan

Massachusetts – As tensions rose after the war, Sacco and Vanzetti were pinched for bumping off a paymaster and guard at a factory. At the time Sacco and Vanzetti were accused, the American government was still much on edge with immigrants. These men were charged for who they were and not for the crime committed.

Nicola Sacco and Bartolommeo Vanzetti, Italian anarchists that immigrated to the United States, had protested the Palmer raids, and were now being charged with murder. The case against them was weak of evidence against them, but Walter Ripley, foreman for jury, stated that

regardless of their actual innocence or guilt, “they ought to hang anyways” and even the judge openly called them “those anarchist bastards.” Both were sentenced to death by electric chair.

With Judge Webster Thayer and Attorney General Palmer believing that foreigners and anarchists “deserved no

consideration,” there was no change for these two men. Even through six years of protests and appeals for a retrial, people failed to earn the retrial and Sacco and Vanzetti

were put to death in August 1927. People are still arguing whether or not they were at fault, but all agree that their rights were violated.

Charles Darwin

Science vs. Religion still a Debate By: Jessica Berdan

Tennessee – It was just years ago when the debate started between science and religion called the Scopes trial. Although this was supposed to be a trail against Scopes, and man accused of teaching evolution in the classroom, the public focused on former president candidate Bryan and Lawyer Darrow’s debate. This was the beginning of a controversy that still exists today.

Charles Darwin created the theory of evolution and that theory has been deputed ever since. The American Civil Liberties Union got John Scopes to try teaching it at his school. Tennessee forbid teachers to

teach evolution, so Scopes was charged with breaking the law. This led to the “Monkey Trial” of which former president candidate Bryan wished to treat the

case as a constitutional issue and question the validity of evolution.

Although the prosecution was supported by Bryan, the defense had famous lawyer Clarence

Darrow so the side were balanced. This “Monkey Trial” showcased science against religion. Even though the court found Scopes guilty, the public focused on

the interaction between Darrow and Bryan. Throughout the case, Darrow had questioned Bryan about the miracles in the Bible, and caught Bryan in a contradiction.

The public did agree

with Bryan’s precedence of faith over facts but found his sputtering disappointing. The question still lingers in the back of our minds, “Where did we come from?”

Political Cartoons

No Water to Help Grow. By: Jessica Berdan