Judge — August 21, 1909 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is the **Midsummer Number** (August 21, 1909) of Judge magazine, priced at 10 cents. The cover features a hot-air balloon labeled "WAGES" floating above a landscape. The satirical message below reads: "DON'T COMPLAIN / When prices go up, wages go up." The cartoon's meaning is sarcastic—it critiques the gap between rising prices and stagnant worker wages during this period of economic inflation. The balloon image suggests wages are ethereal and rising only in appearance, not substance. Workers are being told not to complain about inflation, yet their actual purchasing power hasn't kept pace. This reflects genuine labor tensions of the early 20th century, when workers faced cost-of-living increases while real wage growth lagged.