Judge, 1918-04-13 · page 7 of 36
Judge — April 13, 1918 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes American home-front life during World War I, particularly the tedium of social interaction and war-related conversation. The main cartoon ("Close Together," by Barksdale Rogers) depicts a dinner party where mentioning the war triggers endless, exhausting discussion—the Colonel becomes unbearable once the topic arises. The satire mocks how civilians obsessively discuss the war while remaining disconnected from actual combat. Supporting jokes include: - A woman knitting a sweater supposedly for a "war dog" (absurdist humor about war efforts) - A wounded soldier so riddled with bullets he was transported in an ammunition wagon rather than an ambulance (dark humor about wartime chaos) - A club member who "lost his reason"—a pun on absent-mindedness The dialogue between Dorothy and a Plattsburg graduate references officer-training camps, suggesting the casual way Americans adapted to military mobilization. Overall, Judge portrays WWI's social impact as intrusive and ridiculous, turning genuine conflict into drawing-room tedium and fodder for puns.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
| | | | | | The Colonel has been waiting for someone to Mention the War. From this point on there is no more Horrible Silence. Mr. Jones thinks immediately of Sherman: for Jones is another one of those people who think Sherman said i The Colonel generally sleeps until someone mentions the War. After that nobody gets any sleep. But, aha! the Colonel meets his Waterloo. He mentions the spa where Mrs. Laird was when the War Broke Out. After that it is go-it-hus- band-go-it-bear as far as We are concerned. And we are not concerned Much. The Colonel is trying to get Back to the Front, and Mrs. Laird to London, and Moth- er is wondering why the coffee isn’t served. They all arrive at destina- : : . % tion at about the same time. Drazen by Fuonexce Scover Surxx Then Father springs the “Say, that sweater yer’re makin’ is too smalll to fit a soldier.” box of cigars Clara gave him for Christmas. s aint fer no human, this here sweater is fer a war dog.” He has kept them a long time, waiting for Help. But, as they Pass Out, they tell Mother and the The gentle sex retires to go over various people. Girls what a lovely time they’ve had. The other sex doesn’t.talk about other people. They would tell Father thesame, but Father isn’t there. No, the men talk about Themselves. He is down at the Refrigerator, in Quest of Food. As soon as it is Decent, somebody makes a Break for Home. Something Better Then it just seems that Everybody has to go. “How’s work on that new warehouse getting along?” “Pretty fair, sparred Close Together the contractor. “I'll send you a written report to- morrow.” “Never mind that. Send me a photograph.” Classified Wounded Tommy—And as I was being carried away in the ammunition wagon ‘isitor—Don’t you mean the ambulance? Tommy—No, sir; I was so full of bullets they put me in the ammunition wagon. Exit Excuse “One of our members lost his reason last night.” “How terrible! How did it happen?” “Why, he had one when he left the club, but he Drawn by Barxspare Rocers Dorothy—Jack, where have you been assigned? 2 Plattsburg graduate—To the 306th Field Artillery. forgot it before he got Dorothy—Oh, splendid!—You'll be near brother—he’s in the 307th. home. comicbooks.com