Judge, 1919-03-01 · page 6 of 32
Judge — March 1, 1919 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "A Problem in Reconstruction" This cartoon satirizes post-WWI employment challenges. A young man (Trayne) returns from war having lost an arm but seeks his old job back at a counter. His former superior, now promoted to manager under the Swartzee & Company restructuring, refuses him—offering instead a lower position with higher pay. The satire targets the contradiction: despite economic advancement, the ex-serviceman faces demotion. The title "Reconstruction" references post-war readjustment. The joke's bitter edge criticizes how returning disabled veterans were treated—offered money but not respect or comparable positions. The lower cartoon, "Just Hitting the High Spots," appears unrelated, depicting aerial bombardment, possibly commenting on war's destructiveness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Drawn by dous Hien, Jn A Prostem Ix Reconstruction When you find that your friend’s butler used to be your t good you were, and that it would not quite do for you to be selling goods over the counter—maybe I can get you my place.” But what are you going to de “Good Lord, boy! I can get another job—a better The boy smiled. “Well, that’s bully of you! I went in to see the boss yesterday when you were not here, and he told me to come to see you. He guessed you would fix me up. You certainly are wonderful people here. “Wait just a moment,” said the manager, as a floor girl came in with a second mail delivery, “and I’ll hop into his office and talk with him about it. He picked up the letter left on his desk and tore it open mechanically. It was marked ‘ personal” and was from Swartzer & Company, a rival establishment two avenues over. It made him sit up straight as he furrowed his black eyebrows over it. It was an offer of a job similar to the one he held, but with a salary of one thousand dollars a year more than he was getting. He stuffed the letter silently in his pocket and started for the door. “You wait here a minute, boy. I'll be back soon.” Pembroke, puffing his second morning cigar, was now glancing over his morning paper. “Well, Grimshaw “T came in to see you about young Trayne. He was on the sell- ing counter before the war and we promised to hold his job, but he has come back with only one arm and it wouldn’t quite do. Bully boy! Bright boy!—I should like to recom- mend him for my place.” Grimshaw puffed. “Hum,” he said after a silence, “can he fill it?” “Betcher! He has been advanced to first lieutenant, has been over the sergeant. top, has commanded men, he_ is younger than I am and he’s getting married and that makes all the difference in the world.” “What are you going to do? Grimshaw smiled. He displayed his letter. “IT have another job offered me at more than I’m getting now. Don’t like leaving you, of course, but I guess I ought to. What do you think? Pe mbroke picked up his paper leisure ou’re right,” he said. “Sorry to lose you but we certainly have got to look out for Trayne Mavbe he’s a darn sight better than you are. H “Betcher he is.”” Grimshaw left. Pembroke glanced outside in the direction of the young man with the sleeveless arm who had gone over the top, who had been promoted to first lieutenant, who was going to marry the loveliest girl in the world. Then he flopped his paper over and put it down on his desk beside him and puffed his cigar m editatively. “T wonder,” he chortled to himself, “if mshaw knows that I’ve bought Swartzer & Company? Drawn by Just Hittinc tue Hicu Spots comicbooks.com