Judge — December 26, 1914 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is the cover of *Judge* magazine from December 26, 1914, priced at 10 cents. The illustration shows a small child figure wearing an oversized military helmet and holding a sword, depicted in a somewhat grotesque style with exaggerated features. The caption reads "IF THEY KEEP ON RECRUITING," which appears to reference World War I recruitment efforts occurring in 1914. The satirical point seems to be criticizing how aggressive or desperate military recruitment had become—the joke suggests that if recruitment continues at such a pace, even children will be conscripted into service. This reflects American anxieties about the ongoing European war and debates about potential U.S. military involvement, which would occur in 1917.