Judge, 1917-10-20 · page 26 of 28
Judge — October 20, 1917 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **WWI-era charitable advertisement**, not political satire. The page promotes "Judge's Trench Christmas," a fundraising program enabling American civilians to send care packages to soldiers fighting in France. The illustration depicts **Santa Claus descending into a trench**, merging holiday imagery with wartime reality—a visual metaphor for bringing Christmas cheer to troops in harsh combat conditions. The phrase "Over There" references the popular WWI song encouraging American participation in the war. The campaign leverages manufacturer generosity to offer $1 worth of practical items (cigarettes, gum, matches, cards, toiletries) for fifty cents. Donors could include personal notes and receive thank-you postcards, creating personal connection between home front and battlefield. This reflects **American patriotic mobilization during WWI**, when magazines like Judge helped coordinate civilian support for soldiers abroad through charitable initiatives endorsed by the government and Army.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Christmas “‘Over There”’ You would like to make Christmas merrier for an American soldier boy in France, wouldn't you ? Well, you can! You would like to send him a personal gift and get his acknowledgment, wouldn’t you ? You can, thanks to— Judge’s Trench Christmas For American Boys Abroad A plan, authorized by the United States Government, endorsed by the United States Army and assisted by the AMERICAN DEFENSE SOCIETY which makes it possible for you to send a Christmas kit containing one dollar’s worth of articles selected by experts—practical comforts and little luxuries—to an American soldier abroad, for fifty cents, exactly half what it would cost retail. THE KIT WILL CONTAIN: 1 box of Medicated Talcum Powder 1 pk. Black Jack Chewing Gum 1 pk. Playing Cards 1 pk. Pepsin Chewing Gum 1 pk. Cigarettes . 1 pk. Lime Tablets 1 pk. Smoking Tobacco 1 pk. Mints 2 boxes Matches 1 Pencil, Stationery Because of the generosity of the manufacturers, you can send two gifts for the price one would cost in the stores. And the present is personal. In each package the donor may place his personal card and each package will contain a reply postal so that the soldier whom you gave a happier holiday can thank you for it. Checks should be made payable to Leslie-Judge Company and addressed to Judge’s Trench Christmas Fund, 225 Fifth Ave., New York City