Judge, 1911-06-10 · page 12 of 24
Judge — June 10, 1911 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from Judge magazine satirizes American tourists abroad through Ellis Parker Butler's mock travel guide. The cartoon above depicts a small sailboat in rough seas with the caption "It is sometimes advantageous to assume a position to leeward"—a nautical joke about positioning oneself downwind, likely mocking tourists' ignorance of basic seamanship. The text parodies tourist guides and American travelers' stereotypical behaviors, particularly their obsession with tipping. Butler ridicules the widespread practice of American tourists tipping excessively everywhere in Europe—"you will give a poor boar or tip to every one and everything in sight, except the mainmast." The joke escalates absurdly, suggesting travelers can even tip the Eiffel Tower and pay in "counterfeit, wampum, or postage stamps." The satire targets American travelers' combination of ignorance, excessive spending, and general cluelessness abroad—portraying them as culturally blind (dismissing the Louvre as "pictures and things") yet financially reckless.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
It is sometimes advantageous to assume a position to leeward. HINTS ON SEAMANSHIP. JUDGE'S CONDENSED GUIDE BOOK. Compiled by ELLIS PARKER BUTLER. France, a country of great hystertcal interest. Best reached by going to the dock on West Street, turning to the left up the inclined plane, and refusing to eat until the ship reaches Havre. Havre. On leaving the ship at Havre, you will observe to your left the spacious harbor, and to the right the employes of the ship. Beginning with the captain, you will give a poor boar or tip to every one and everything in sight, except the mainmast, (Note: Travelers may tip the mainmast, too, if they wish.) Havre containing no other objects of in- terest, we tip our way to Paris, known as the Smokeless Pitts- burgh of Europe. Passing rapidly by the Louvre, which is nothing but a bunch of pictures and things, we reach the dis- reputable resorts, which no self-respect- ing person will visit. Here we spend as much time as we have at our disposal. Customs: The most noteworthy custom of Paris is the tipping system. Under the Code Napoleon the giving of tips was rigorously forbidden, except to (1) persons and (2) things, But this code has been suppressed. Travelers are now allowed to tip anything but the Eiffel Tower. (Note: An exception to the rule forbidding giving tips to the Eiffel Tower is made in the case of (1) pleas- ure travelers and (2) others.) We now tip lightly on to Belgium, which has rightly been called a ‘Little France."’ Travelers should observe that, while the French system of currency obtains in Belgium, this na- tion has its own coinage. Tips will be accepted by the inhabitants, however, in cents, sous, farthings, deniers, pfen- nigs, counterfeit, wampum, or postage stamps. We therefore proceed immedi- ately to Brussels, the capital city, situated on a hill that tips rapidly toward the river hea, “AND I HAVE LOVED THEE, OCEAN. comicbooks.com