Judge — May 30, 1903 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis: "Hands Off!" - Judge Magazine, May 30, 1903 This political cartoon depicts a uniformed National Guard soldier wielding both a rifle and a large megaphone labeled "Pennsylvania Supreme Court." The soldier stands protectively over an industrial cityscape, with the caption "HANDS OFF! No interference with the citizen-soldier." The satire appears to address tensions between civilian authority and military power during labor disputes or civil unrest in Pennsylvania around 1903. The cartoon defends the National Guard's autonomy—specifically the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's authority—against perceived interference from civilian government or strikers. The soldier's dual weaponry symbolizes both literal military force and legal authority. This likely relates to labor conflicts of the era where courts and militia worked together against organized labor movements.