Judge — February 20, 1909 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes Prohibition's impact on businesses. The storefront advertises "BEER, WINE AND CIGARS" but displays a prominent "CLOSED" sign. A figure peers through the window with a flashlight, suggesting people were reduced to looking for illicit establishments during alcohol prohibition. The joke targets the hypocrisy and unintended consequences of Prohibition: legitimate businesses shuttered while demand for alcohol persisted, driving commerce underground. The "look behind" likely refers to finding speakeasies or illegal operations hidden from public view. The cartoon critiques how Prohibition created a black market rather than eliminating drinking, making enforcement difficult and economic activity invisible. This reflects contemporary debate about Prohibition's practical failures before the constitutional amendment's 1920 passage.