Judge, 1917-09-08 · page 4 of 28
Judge — September 8, 1917 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a figure riding a large eagle or bird in flight, wielding a gun and sword—likely representing American political authority or interventionism. The accompanying editorial "The Habit of Glibness" criticizes American men for talking cheaply without substance, noting that while Americans value quick speech, they often lack meaningful things to say. The "Sixes and Sevens" section contains brief political jabs, including criticism of President Wilson's "congeries of abstract ideals," commentary on King George potentially changing the Royal House name, and a joke about Chancellor Michaelis refusing a secret convention with Russia and France. References appear to WWI-era politics and diplomatic tensions, though specific dates aren't provided in the text.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Habit of Glibness Ths is cheap—provided we let someone else do the talking. But it costs like smoke when we do too much of it ourselves. Yet most of us will never learn to keep still. We shall ramble on, perfectly content that our tongues are fastened at one end and utterly oblivious to the fact that every six or seven words betray a fault. In America we have put a premium upon glibness. We demand that young men and young women who would win their way rapidly in the world be ready to converse with rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief with charming facility. We ask that they be at ease with any sort of dignitary along- side of whom they may be cast. If they do not meet people readily, if they do not have something to say and something else to keep on saying, we tell them that they are dull and un- interesting, overly reserved, self-conscious, decidedly hopeless We complain that they are not well met. Having nothing to say ought not damn a young man. And it won't—if he has something to keep still about. There are two kinds of very valuable things in this world: things that are worth saying, and things that are worth keeping still about until later. And the glib young man and the gushing young woman are not particularly blessed with either of the two. They have nothing to say and nothing to keep still about. So they talk—charmingly. A great many well-met people are merely well met. They do themselves an awful injustice when they hang around too long. Sixes and Sevens ING Alexander may make all the speeches from the throne —but Venizelos guesses he knows whose house the Grecian women would picket. 2 Lact $8) a ae ety of the conger-eel worth catching, but how did Woodrow get time to go fishing? ¢ Governor Ferguson, of s, Says he will run for re-election, with nine indictments and a bill of impeachment hanging over him. The “same old Bill” Sulzer did it in his time on a political capital of nine indictments less * Roosevelt offered to lead an army into France—and Wilson refused to let him do it—and yet there are pessimists who can’t see that this war will be over long before 1920. s King George thought best to change the name of the Royal House—but we guess the abdication will be legal under either title. * It is crowding the mourners when men not six months in the country refuse to salute the flag just as if they were mayor of Chicago or Boston. e Watch the price of string slump when Mr. Hoover makes them stop tying such a lot of it to their peace offers! 2 Chancellor Michaelis will not object to a secret convention between Russia and France provided he can name its committee on resolutions. # . Ex-Czar Nicholas’s left leg has been fractured in a fall from his bicycle. Now it can sympathize with his divine right. 2 Conservationist kittens are too patriotic to enter into a food commandeering contract without the saving claws. e Patriotism, with some men, goes ahead of profits, as con- spicuously as the drum major goes ahead of the band. A i a ey EE OU