Judge, 1917-12-15 · page 11 of 28
Judge — December 15, 1917 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Judge* magazine satirizes World War I military life through a soldier's perspective. The top cartoon contrasts idealized camp hospitality (officers serving highballs and soda water to relaxed soldiers) with reality (chaotic, exhausting conditions with drilling and harsh treatment). The "Dictionary of a Sammy" (military slang for American soldiers) defines camp terms humorously. Key entries mock military inefficiency and hardship: "Mess" refers to any meal; soldiers face endless "fatigue" (work details); officers assigned as chaplains ("Holy Joe") give useless legal advice; and "rookies" are sent on fool's errands searching for impossible items like "bugle dust" and "reveille oil"—pranks senior soldiers play on newcomers. The satire targets the gap between military romance and grunt-level reality: poor food, arbitrary discipline, and exploitation by both superiors and fellow soldiers. The author's unit affiliation (55th Field Artillery Brigade) suggests firsthand experience with these grievances.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
YOUR HIGHGBALe Si1R?? Frowees 7? Soon warer? IN THE WARD How I would have liked it. BREAKING \ \ ae — “ae” : Jy THE minscor What I got! Extracts from the Dictionary of a Sammy By Frank Slater, Headquarters, 55th Field Artillery Brigade, Greenville, S.C. The most appropriately named military term. May signify either breakfast, dinner, or supper. Pay-pay. Ad ct aside for soldiers to pay their debts. Bostait. A soldier who, in order to get a discharge, has spent enough time in the guard-house to complete two enlistments. “Doc-Rosper.” A soldier who, desiring to escape from more s fora stipulated sum per month (generally about $5.00), to shine an officer’s boots, make up his bed, and otherwise flunky around his quarters. He is well thought of by his comrades (?). C. C. Prt. One of the two standard remedies issued to a Sammy who answers sick call. Toptne. The other of the two standard remedies. Mess Hurry vp!! heres YER our THar > “STALLING Faticve. A word which, mentioned in the hearing of any number of Sammies will never fail to produce an equal number of Sammies who desire to answer sick call. It’s military mean- ing is work. Betty Rosser. particularly pl is the object of le: A “non-com” who is charged with the nt duty of ordering Sammy’s rations. He criticism than any other man in the service. “Hoty Jor.” An officer who, when detailed to act as counsel for Sammy, when he is before a court-martial, will generally advise him to “plead guilty and trust in the Lord.” He is officially known as the Regimental Chaplain. “Rookie.” A Sammy who has not yet been sent by his loving comrades in search of “bugle dust,” “‘reveille oil,” “the key to the parade ground,” “butter checks,” “10 yards of skirmish line,” “tent locks,” and similar articles of supposed military necessity. comicbooks.com