Judge — December 28, 1918 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Lesson in 'Socialistic Government'" This December 1918 cartoon by Robert A. Graef uses wolves labeled "Socialism" attacking a dead child labeled "Russia" to criticize socialist government. The imagery is brutally direct propaganda. The cartoon reflects post-WWI American anti-communist sentiment, particularly following the Russian Revolution (1917) and the establishment of the Bolshevik Soviet state. The dead child represents Russia destroyed by socialist ideology, while the predatory wolves illustrate socialism as a deadly force devouring the nation. Judge magazine, a conservative satirical publication, employs this visceral imagery to warn American readers against socialist politics. The cartoon presents socialism not as a political philosophy but as an inherently destructive, violent force—visual propaganda targeting leftist movements gaining traction during the post-war period.