Judge — May 3, 1919 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Bone Dry" - Judge Magazine, May 3, 1919 This is a satirical cartoon about Prohibition, which had just begun nationally on January 17, 1919. The subtitle "Bone Dry" references the strict enforcement goal of prohibitionists. The figure depicts a woman in theatrical/vaudeville costume holding a parasol in what appears to be a barren landscape. The "Wet and Dry Number" label suggests this represents competing political positions on alcohol: "wet" (anti-Prohibition) versus "dry" (pro-Prohibition). The cartoon likely satirizes either the absurdity of Prohibition enforcement or the dramatic social upheaval it caused. The theatrical costume and exaggerated pose suggest mockery of the movement's rhetoric. The barren setting may represent the cultural or economic devastation Judge's editors associated with the new law.