Judge, 1917-12-15 · page 10 of 28
Judge — December 15, 1917 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This WWI-era satirical page uses Christmas as a framework to mock wartime absurdities and social pretense. **"The Christmas Notion Counter"** by Douglas Malloch offers cynical commentary on holiday gift-giving during wartime. Key targets include: - Men being drafted ("called to the colors") while society obsesses over neckties - The Kaiser's rejection of Paris dinner invitations (mocking German military defeat hopes) - Field Marshal Haig's strategy to dislodge Germans from trenches by Christmas (a failed objective) - American food rationing under Herbert Hoover's direction - Women prioritizing French soldiers over German manufactures **The cartoon** depicts a sergeant scolding a soldier for losing his bayonet, sarcastically calling him "plumber"—mocking incompetence in the trenches. The soldier's casual attitude contrasts with military discipline. Overall, the page blends holiday sentiment with sharp commentary on military bungling, home-front sacrifice, and shifting wartime priorities. The satire assumes readers understood specific 1918 military campaigns and rationing policies.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WILL YOU JOIN THE MOVEMENT ? The Christmas Notion Counter Speaking of fancy work, what did your daughter work you for Christmas? Phe season of garden truck is past and of Christmas truck MONG the other Christmas angels should be mentioned — is here A the man who comes to the rescue of the Broadway -re’s hoping you find a Santa Claus in your uncle’s will. show that generally goes broke at about this time. is called Yule because you'll pay the bills. Speaking of neckties. and considering how many men have icking the right present is a Christmas gift. been called to the colors, it is remarkable how many uncalled for Did you make your presents felt in France? By DOUGLAS MALLOCH colors there are. If you can't wait to find out what your wife is going to give Suspiciously Christmassy you for Christmas, ask the store where you have a charge BROUGH aucun days she showed « marble face, account. A chilly glance, and yes, a glacial heart! Considering our present stock of stockings, it is a good } sr know to lover's eve could track thing that the time they have to hang up is during the night The faintest markings of brave Cupid’s dart You wish for something all the year and can’t afford it, and —Lurana Sheldon then at Christmas buy it for somebody else who could About the only place Germany seems to think of sending Christmas presents is to Davy Jones’s locker. Instead of hanging up a stocking on our fireplace this year we are going to hang up a coal scuttle I believ ermany would be mean enough to submarine even a certain sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. What Haig is trying to do is to get the German boys out of the sheli-holes by Christmas Society Note—The Kaiser's invitations to Christ- mas dinner in Paris have been recalled. \ woman without vision is one who buys hand- kerchiefs for herself just before Christmas. A man ought to get credit for the things he gives at Christmas. In fact, he has to. Christmas toys may be broke the day after Christmas, but they have nothing on Dad. We tell Mr. Hoover now that we shall not listen to a meatless Christmas dinne She used to long for something made in Germany. a but now she longs for a man in France. ann eek hee The trouble with a Christmas glee is that often Sergeant—Left yer bay’net in yer tent, did ye? An’ I s'pose ye'd like to charge me it doesn’t glee the glee-ce. fer the time it takes to go back an’ get it. You plumber! comichooks.fo