Judge, 1918-04-13 · page 35 of 36
Judge — April 13, 1918 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is not a cartoon but a **wartime public service announcement** from April 1918 (World War I era). The American Library Association's "Library War Service" appeals to *Judge* magazine readers to help circulate the magazine to soldiers in military camps. **The context:** Under the Postmaster General's "Burleson Act," magazines could be mailed at reduced postal rates (one cent). Camp librarians report *Judge* is in high demand at training camps but undersupplied. The ALA asks subscribers to affix one-cent stamps to spare copies and mail them to soldiers weekly. **The appeal's logic:** Reading material boosts morale for troops "in camp and over there" (overseas in WWI). The accompanying text frames this as an easy patriotic gesture—"doing your bit" for soldiers. **Key figure:** Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress, lends his authority to the request. This reflects how magazines served as morale-boosting tools during wartime, and how civilian participation was framed as direct support for troops.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
April 13, 1918 A Personal Appeal to All Judge Readers | American Library Association Library War Service Henpcet Purnau “Cant Me Mita LIBRARIAN OF ConcRESS JOSEPH L. WHEELER Executive SecmeTaRy HEADQUARTERS Geonoe 8. UTLEY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Orsbunewie OF reen, WILLIAM L. Brown WASHINGTON, D.C. March 19,1918. lad The Leslie-Judge Company, Songs 225 Fifth Avenue, New York,N.Y. Gentlemen: We are just in receipt of a communication signed by the Camp Librarians at Camps MacArthur, Logan, Bowie, Travis, Pike, and Doniphan, stating that there is in these camps a demand for "Judge," which is far in excess of the copies received through the Burleson "one-cent" privilege. It is very desirable that more copies of “Judge” reach then promptly from the original subscribers. On behalf of the thousands of reading men whom they represent, they ask us “in some emphatic way" to place this matter before your subscribers and see if it is possible to get more copies of this magazine into the post office under the Burleson | Act. The need is urgent. ime; Is at eve: | ed to the There is an over-supply of some magazines, but eae an under-supply of yours. We are of the opinion that this a sta; | need of a supply exists at many other camps, and we therefore vn South } hasten to call this matter to your attention. | hat you [ Very truly yours, > VISItOF. , romised ro 3 ago, but | /, agfistant to the Director. JLW:EIW Wy L Here is the best possible way of “doing your bit” for the boys in camp. The above appeal tells its own story. _ It will be very little trouble for you to stick pia | 2 0ne-cent stamp on the cover of this issue of “Judge” and drop it in the nearest ah letter-box. Do this every week, and you'll make life that much cheerier Don’t put it of—DO IT NOW! for the men in camp and “over there”.