Vol. XVII, No. 5

Time
The Weekly Newsmagazine

February 2, 1931

            The concept of time is such an immense thing. The concept of Time is also an immense thing. Any issue is available since March 3, 1923. March 3 was yesterday. Eighty-eight years and Time is still going strong. I chose the issue from February 2, 1931. Here’s the time frame: 21,916 days before I was born, that is 60 years and one day. That is three times longer that I have even been alive. I have changed a lot in the last twenty years, so I cannot even begin to fathom how much the world has changed in the last eighty years. I will start with this one issue, one page at a time.

            The cover is of George Woodward Wickersham. He was the 47^th United States Attorney General. He held the office from March 4, 1909 until March 4, 1913. Today is March 4. It has been 102 years since he took office and 98 years since he left. He went on to serve as the president of the Association of the Bar of the city of New York, and served on the War Trade Board to Cuba and the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement, later known as the Wickersham Commission and the reason for him being on the cover. He has a fabulous moustache, which alone should have qualified him to be on the cover. Good thing it is moustache March.

            As for the contents of the publication, some sections are still there today, such as National Affairs (U.S.), Foreign News (World), Medicine (Health), Science (Science), Art (Arts), and Business & Finance (Business). Some of the others surprised me though—Animals, Letters, and Milestones. Aeronautics was interesting to see as its own section. Music, People, Religion, Education, Sports, Cinema, and Theatre also had their own, along with a few others. Over fifty pages of what is now considered historical, interesting, or ultimately irrelevant information.

            Skimming a few article, it became apparent from “The Presidency: The Heart of the Nation” that Hoover was using his supposed social responsibility to better his image, “Great Britain: Well-Informed People” that maybe they do know what is going on across the pond, “Canada: Morale Upped” that the Canadians may help us out, “Religion: Faith Healing” that the people want to be healed, “Education: Flu” that TCU was not the only one concerned about influenza, “Sport: Polo Ranking” that people once did care about the sport and not just the clothing line, “Aeronautics: Fastest?” that a route would be created between Fort Worth and Washington, D.C., and “Animals: Goldfish Shoes” that there was still time before shoes with goldfish in them and for now they just used the skin to make slippers, as well as receiving several suggestions on books to read and not read, plays and movies to see and not see, and music to listen to and not listen to.

            Being a business major, I looked more intensely at the Business & Finance section. I read about the counter-fight to wage reductions in the steel industry, Chadbourne’s worldwide sugar production reduction plan, secondary distribution on Wall Street, shrinking amounts in the Belvidere savings account, the “new, lively” oil boom in east Texas, a cigarette price war, and suspensions from the New York Stock Exchange. Some articles were much more interesting than others. Some I could picture being in Time next week, others I knew would not even be considered today. I contribute that to a change in priorities, or perspective.

            There was one ad that caught my eye. It was titled “The Market Basket That Has Trebled in Ten Years. It discusses investing in chain stores. In 1921, the average family spent $90.27 at chain stores. By 1923, that had increased to $243.42. I do not even want to know what amount it is today. The wide variety and economical prices brought people in back then, and that is the same today. Chain Store Shareowners, Inc. sold maximum-security stocks to both small and large investors. The facts are accompanied by a couple of cartoon depictions of chain stores and a list of the 35 leading chain store companies. Walmart, McDonalds, and Starbucks were not on the list, at least then. I did recognize a few though, including Lane Bryant, J.C. Penny, Walgreen, Kroger Grocery, and Sears.

            The 1930s were a time of great change. By 1931, the Great Depression had hit but was not yet in full swing. The glamour of the roaring twenties was diminishing. Gandhi was protesting in India. Scotch tape was invented at the end of the previous year. Turkish women recently received the right to vote. It was a time of much change and a smaller world. Inventions allowed people to be know more about the world at much faster rates. People had begun to think in terms of the much bigger picture, not only with the here and now but also with the future. Times and people were changing quickly, just as they are today. Even as Time has changed, it has stood the test of time.

it was the part of Time, it stood the test of time