Judge, 1915-04-17 · page 6 of 26
Judge — April 17, 1915 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes upper-class American social hypocrisy and shallow values circa early 20th century. The main cartoon "The Underpinning of Society" depicts a UFO-like flying saucer with a wealthy socialite aboard, mocking how frivolous high society rests upon unstable foundations. The "High Lights on High Life" column uses cynical wordplay to ridicule wealthy lifestyles: divorce as "unlocking wedlock," alimony as making "life worth living," and cocktail cherries as monuments to "high livers." "Who's Who" satirizes social climbing through manufactured genealogies—people gain status by claiming distant connections to old families, regardless of actual merit or character. The humor throughout targets the disconnect between aristocratic pretension and actual behavior, particularly marital infidelity, excessive drinking, and the obsession with family connections as social currency. The "Thoroughbreds" poem extends this mockery by comparing wealthy people to animals. This reflects Progressive-era skepticism toward inherited privilege and society's superficiality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
High Lights on High Life ECKLESS living soon causes wrecked lives. Divorce—The key that unlocks the wed- lock. A vicious circle—A round of pleasure. Alimony—T hat which makes life worth living after the divorce. The stones in cocktail cherries would make an appropriate monument for many a high liver. The eternal triangle —A social figure whose angles produce wrangles. Husband and sou- brette—The man in the box and the wom- an in the case. Ponies— Connected with brandy, the races or the chorus, each with its own kick. The tall blonde, third from the left— Often the chorus- pondent in divorce proceedings. Universal joint—1. The funny bone, es- pecially so when rais- ing the fifth cocktail. 2. A cosmopolitan cafe. THE UNDERPINNING OF SOCIETY Scion of an old family—An excuse for showgirls, imported champagne, eight-cyl- inder roadsters — and breach - of - promise suits, —Don Bregenzer. Thoroughbreds OWN sunny paths or shady, They lightly trod the ground; Both held their heads As thoroughbreds Do wheresoever found. One was a high-born lady, And one an Airedale hound! —Lida Keck Wiggins. UP TO DATE Brother Jim—What sort of a basketball team have you got this year, Effie? Efie—Oh, some of our forwards don't dress badly, and our back is a perfect dear. Who's Who OU SAY that Mrs. Green is coai Mr. Green is plain? Their kin are quite impossible—especially Aunt Jane? You say they've never traveled, and they all have shocking taste? You wonder why we called upon those peo- ple in such haste? Why, Mrs. Green knows Mrs. Brown, whose mother was a White, And she was nearest neighbor, once, to Mrs, Edward Knight, Whose sister married Jackson Jones—his mother was a Beers, And they've been in society for years and years and years! —Grace McKinstry. and A Suggestion Mrs. Ayre - Shaft— The people in the next apartment are having a lovely time deciding on names for their new twins. Mr. Ayre- Shaft— Tell them I suggested _ Hugh and Cry. Tut! Tut! Ted—Who is that Barbar girl? I never see much of her, do you? Fred—Never, ex- cept at dinners and the like.