Judge — July 13, 1918 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon by Walter de Maris depicts a man reclining in bed, apparently ill or hungover, visited by ghostly figures of military ancestors appearing at a window or doorway. The apparitions—rendered as stern-faced soldiers in historical uniforms—confront him with the accusatory question: "And is this what we fought and died for?" The satire criticizes a contemporary figure (identity unclear from image alone) for failing to live up to his family's martial legacy. The cartoon suggests moral or physical degeneracy—the protagonist's weakened state contrasts sharply with his ancestors' strength and sacrifice. This represents a common Judge magazine theme: mocking the decline of American character or patriotic duty among privileged elites.