Judge, 1918-05-18 · page 8 of 36
Judge — May 18, 1918 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains multiple satirical pieces from WWI-era America: **"The Modern Reveller"** (poem by Howard Dietz): Contrasts soldiers' leisure activities before and during WWI. Historically, off-duty soldiers visited music halls and drank; now they're constantly writing—likely referring to soldiers writing letters home, perhaps exaggerated for comic effect. **"Digital Dexterity"**: A joke about a woman marveling at machine-gun speed, seemingly unable to comprehend mechanical rapid-fire (she thinks manual trigger-pulling achieves it). **"His Opinion"**: A joke about daylight saving time (appearing to be a wartime measure), with a working-class character ("Gillis") suspiciously viewing it as a banker's scheme to make debts due sooner. **"Only One of the Species"**: Satirizes German authoritarianism. A man arrested for *beginning* to criticize the Kaiser learns Germany permits criticizing only foreign emperors—implying totalitarian suppression of dissent. **"Their Demand"**: A volunteer fire company strikes for "fewer fires" rather than pay—absurdist humor about unreasonable demands.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Modern Reveller By Howaro Diere N former days and former wars When Tommy was on furlough Away from tawdry battle roars, You'd find him with his girl O! Or else you'd see him raising Cain At music hall or frolic, And coughing up his monthly gain For fluids alcoholic. The soldier free from duty Spends little time in seeing sights And frittering his booty; For I have watched him closely and I’ve come to this conviction— That every soldier in the land But nowadays and nowanights, | Is busy cwriting fiction. | Digital Dexterity “This machine-gun can fire six hundred shots a minute,” said the officer. “You don’t say,” marveled the fair visitor, “I don’t see how any one can pull the trigger so fast.” His Opinion Willis—What do you think of this plan of turning all the clocks ahead an hour each day? Gillis—Just another foxy scheme of the bankers to make a man’s notes come due sooner, I think. Drawn by H. C. Gree: Tuincs a Ficuter Doesn’t Write Asout “That night in No Man’s Land, nerves, eyes and cars strained to bursting, when the lightning bug flashed right in front of our face!” Only One of the Species T happened in the German capital a few months after war had been declared on the Allies. Two middle-aged German business men were standing talking on the street and one, becoming excited, exclaimed, “I tell you what, that idiot of an Emperor——” His discourse was cut short by the dropping of a heavy hand on his shoulder. Turning quickly, he was confronted by a German policeman who informed him he was under arrest. “What for?” asked the captor, beginning to weaken. “For uttering treason against your Emperor.” “Oh, but you didn’t let me finish. Iwas going to say “that idiot of an Emperor of Japan.” “No you don’t,” replied the policeman. ‘“There’s only one idiot of an Emperor. Come along with me.” Their Demand aaa “Our fire company went on a strike day before yesterday,” stated the landlord of the Petunia tavern. ‘‘They say they will stay out until their > Sera? demand is granted.” 2 “ae “But [am told that they are a volunteer company, working entirely — Dyazon by C. D. Satate . without pay,” said the patent chrun man. ‘So it can hardly be a ques- Getrinc Even Witn Uncre Sam Honot higher wages? Reese ; ; “Ha, Ha, Ha! [fool Ungle Sam all right. I buy Nope! They are public spirited, all right, and wouldn't ask more yun ov dem Liberty Bonds for fifty tollars und den _ Pay. What they demand is fewer fires.” I tear id up chust like id vus nodding.” comicbooks.com