Judge, 1918-10-05 · page 5 of 32
Judge — October 5, 1918 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "Why 'Joorr' Did Not Register" This Judge magazine piece satirizes draft evasion during a military conscription period (likely WWI era, given the "draft board" reference). The three-panel cartoon shows a military official interrogating "Joe Orr," a Black Southern man who claims he didn't register for the draft. The satire works through dialect humor and the man's implausible excuses: he blames a doctor for saying he shouldn't fight, claims his mother is dead (so she can't confirm his age), and feigns ignorance about registration requirements. The dialogue mocks both the evasion attempt and, through heavy dialect representation, perpetuates racial stereotypes common to the era's humor. The piece ridicules draft dodgers while simultaneously using racist caricature for comedic effect—typical of early 20th-century American satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE Pounded 1884 ‘THE HAPPY cMEDIUM” v s<7 “T DUN HEAR UM SAY DAT EF DE DOCTER SAY DEY IS SUMPTIN’ ER MATTER WID YER. YER DONE NEVER HAVE TO GO TO FIGHT.” Why “Joorr’ Did Not Register By Guy W. Seem Illustrated by Aubert Hencxe chillun an’ we cum so onexpectedly mammy got us mixt up, an’ kinda loss track uv de time.” HE incident occurred in the office of a Ic al draft board recently “Somewhere in Di ” Joe Orr, a typical Southern negro who had “Are you past thirty-one?” failed to register, had been called before the “Nor, suh.” board for examination. “How do you kno “What is your name?” “Well, dey’s been chillun cumming erlong in de “ Joorr.” family every year, an’ dey ain’t quite dat many yit.” “What?” “Did you register for the selective draft?” Joorr.” “Whut dat you say, boss?” : “Your first name is Joe, is it?” “Did you register to join the Army?” i “Yas, suh.” “Nor, suh, I ain’t registed.” | “Well, what is your last?” “Didn't you know you had to register?” | “ Joorr.” “Yars, suh, I knowed hit.” | “Ts it Joe Orr?” “Why didn’t you do it? “De docter dun tole me I ain’t hafe to.” “Zacly so—Joorr.” “How old are you, Joc?” Jid he tell you that?” “T don’t jis ’zacly know.” “He ’zamined me an’ said I had de zese an’ de ’sump- “Ts your mother living?” sion, an’ de heart-flivver, an’ de gittah in de haid.” i “What doctor did you consult?” “Can she tell your age?” “Whut docter did [-whut?” “She say she can’t. Dey wus such a passel uv us “What doctor examined you?” comicbooks.com