Judge, 1917-07-28 · page 20 of 28
Judge — July 28, 1917 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Judge page compiles wartime humor from British satirical magazines, mocking WWI conditions through British working-class perspectives. Key satirical points: **"The Great Question"**: A wounded soldier jokes bitterly about missing butter—food scarcity and rationing were severe hardships. **"The Water Ration"**: Dark humor about choosing between bathing or coffee, highlighting extreme resource shortages. **Maid's Notice**: Satirizes home-front moral collapse—a servant abandons domestic service for munitions factory work (double wages), while her employer ironically fears "peace may break out," revealing how war profiteering sustained the conflict economically. **"Soft Fonts"**: Wilhelm (caricatured German kaiser) claims he lacks starch—likely mocking German resource depletion or morale collapse. The collection presents working-class British wartime experience: food rationing, water scarcity, labor mobility, and economic disruption—wrapped in dark humor to make hardship palatable to readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
London in August—if they all come up.— Bystander (London). The Great Question Wounded soldier (to nurse who has just served him with tea and bre d-and-butter) —Who put the butter on the bread, nurse ?”” “T did.” “Then, nurse, who the dickens took it off again ?"—Blighty (London). The Tommy—'Ulloa, Lord Nelson. The Tar—Whatho! me ole Egyptian mummy!—Passing Show (London). The Water Ration Orderly—Bath or coffee this morning, sir?—London Opinion. - — = pu think he'll see us?—Le Rire Maid (giving notice to leave)—You see, mum, I can earn twice as much making munitions. Mistress—Now, Ellen, don’t be foolish. Just think of the risks; peace may break out at any moment, now!—Passing Show (London). “They must ‘ave ‘ad some good news or something, Alf; you can ‘ear ‘em cheerin’ Carl—I say, lend a chap some starch, won't you? Wilhelm—Starch! Do I look as though I'd got any?—Etening News (London). comichooks.