Judge, 1916-12-02 · page 21 of 36
Judge — December 2, 1916 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece imagines famous historical and fictional women debating feminism in the afterlife. Portia argues for wisdom, Helen of Troy for beauty, Lady Macbeth for ambition, and Joan of Arc for courage as women's greatest assets. Cleopatra interrupts, dismissing all previous answers. She claims a woman needs only one thing: "tact for the managing of man"—the ability to manipulate males through feminine wiles. The applause that follows suggests this view aligns with popular sentiment about feminism. **The satire's point**: Judge magazine mocks the feminist movement by having Cleopatra—historically associated with seduction—"win" the debate. The joke suggests that despite modern feminist discourse about women's independence and strength, traditional feminine manipulation of men remains the real female power. This reflects early 20th-century resistance to feminism, implying suffragists and feminists were deluded about what women actually needed or valued.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TEN LAPS AHEAD FEMINISM AMONG THE SHADES T WAS a meeting of the Shades—women of history and fiction assembled to discuss the feminist movement, for even unto them the spirit of the century had reached. Woman's greatest asset was under discussion. Opinions differed and f Portia had declared t Wisdom was woman's strongest weapon, Helen of Troy proclaimed for Beauty, Lady Macbeth for Ambition, Joan of Arc for the Courage of the woman militant. As the discussion waxed warmest a new speaker arose. She faced the throng with a languid smile, her slight form, wrapped in a rich tiger skin, swaying lightly: ** My Sisters,” said Cleo: atra, “you are all wrong! A woman needs just exe thing: t for the managing of man, even unto the twining of him v about her smallest finger.” And the applause that followed A LITTLE LOBSTER DRESSING proved the trend of feminism, even among the Shades. Rachel McBraver. WEARISOME CHRISTMAS CONTENTIONS LTHOUGH there are folk who will frequently joke On the Christmastide gifts of their wives, And speak with a sneer of cigars t And of neckwear that threatens their lives, 1 won't speak with haste of my wife's evil taste In selecting my gifts, nor malign The things that she buys; for [ beg to advise That her taste is much better than mine “Render unto seizure the things that are seizures,” the Bible says—and there are no English Non-Confori Of neckties that’s true: T don’t know what I'd do If [ always selected my own. I'm sure that I'd pick ones that made me look sick Ones whose colors would clamor and moan. With joy, then, I've found that when Christmas comes ‘round And my wife gives me neckties to wea They're always the best and no subject for jest, But stylish and most debonair. It’s custom to tell of the horrible smelt That arises from Christmas cigars Which women select, and which husbands expect: It's a legend as old as the stars, And one that misleads; for the very best weeds That I'm fated to get in this life \re those I receive on each gay Christmas eve With the greetings and love of my wife.—K. 1. Roberts His Suspicion - WHAT HE MISSED “Do you know why the bridegroom's attendant at the : . wedding i called the ‘best man?” enedde—My raciousl I never had 10 many nice presents “TI did not know before I was married,” replied skimpy little Eddy “Then you've had lots more fun since you've lived with Mr. Meck, “but very soon afterwards I began to suspect.” us, haven't you, daddy? comicbooks.com