Judge — December 12, 1903 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes American interventionism in Latin America. An elderly Uncle Sam figure (representing the U.S.) rocks a cradle containing a figure labeled "Panama" while holding a bottle labeled with various Latin American nations (United States, France, Switzerland, Mexico, etc.). The caption reads: "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand That Rules the World." The cartoon critiques U.S. control over Panama following the 1903 Panamanian independence (backed by American interests to enable the Canal construction). The surrounding bottle suggests America's broader imperial ambitions across the hemisphere. The satire implies the U.S. is paternalistically "managing" weaker nations rather than respecting their independence.