Judge — April 12, 1919 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Speaking of Strikes" - Judge, April 12, 1919 This cartoon satirizes labor strikes through a figure wielding a baseball bat labeled "Judge." The title "Speaking of Strikes" creates a visual pun—conflating baseball strikes with labor strikes, which were a major social issue in 1919. The figure, dressed in formal attire with a cap, appears to represent either a strikebreaker, authority figure, or judge (playing on the magazine's name) responding to labor unrest. The aggressive bat-wielding pose suggests either defending against strikes or using force to suppress them. The 1919 date is significant: this was the year of major American labor upheaval, including the Seattle General Strike and steel strikes. The cartoon likely critiques either labor activism or the violent suppression of workers' demands, depending on Judge magazine's editorial stance.