Judge, 1919-06-14 · page 9 of 36
Judge — June 14, 1919 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers This page from *Judge* magazine contains WWI-era satirical content aimed at American soldiers and homefront readers. **"Send Us Pictures"** is a humorous letter from a serviceman appealing to folks back home to send photographs—specifically candid ones of wives, sweethearts, and friends—rather than printed "funnies" or newspaper clippings. The satire works through exaggeration: he imagines returning home and failing to recognize his own wife because she's gained weight during his absence (described as a "large, buxom person, built on the same plan as a tank"), creating an awkward reunion scenario. The joke plays on anxieties about separation, physical change, and marital reunion. The two cartoon panels on the right contain separate, brief jokes unrelated to the main article—typical *Judge* format. The piece reflects genuine WWI concerns: soldiers' long deployments, homesickness, and uncertainty about what awaited them after service.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“That sett Jane—I shall I wish ve would, mum, t! Send Us Pictures Med. Dept. A. B. P. Compoma Wits P. Siena, M afraid you folks back home are overlooking something. You aren't send us enough pictures. By pictures I mean photographs, not “funnies,” nor Sunday supplement i nor even the pretty sepia rotogravure sections color org’ showing the war dra ing to a close or the Peace Conference What we want and ought to have is the sweetheart, the old folks and the ays of yore when we mpey and thought dragging to an opening. likenesses of the wife friends we used to know in the halcyon knew “cuties” only through Arthur Guy a cannon cracker made a loud noise. You see, as time passes and service chevrons begin to form ladders up our left sleeves (they haven’t yet decided to make us take them off), changes in our appearance are bound to be noticeable, and it’s safe to assume that it is the same way with you folks back in the glorious land of ice cream and real butter and homemade bread, 'neverything. Wouldn’t it be a heluva note, on that glad day in the distant future when my own lown personal transport tics up at the dock, to climb eagerly the gangplank, all agog with eagerness, on the lookout for re porters and loved ones, and find myself in the embrace of a built on the same plan as a tank? “Where do you get that stuff at?” I'll ask as I endeavor to tear myself loose and protect my souvenirs. “I don’t place you at all and yu'd better partee toot sweet, for I'm expectin’ the wife's in the crowd here somewhere, and if she sees you compromising me this way she'll start a war over here.” “Why, Will,” she'll answer, bursting into tears. recognize your own litule Pettic that you used to bounce your knce before you went to save the world?” “Sure, I remember,” I'll retaliate. ‘But you can’t put nothin’ over on me like that. The woman I wed was a slender young thing I used to call ‘Skinny.’ You're more of a stranger to me than the kaiser. And besides, my captain is callin’ me to carry a couple more trunks of German helmets off the boat, so | large, buxom person, “Don't you n stta go. You've got me all wrong. Your husband's probably in the QM, and he won't be back for a couple more years.” Now, I ally if she ha pened to be the wife. Can k you, wouldn't that be fierce, est YOu sce pictures ing Of These congressmen 1 senators never bother the Geodetic Survey.” “Why is that? “Partly, [take it geodetic means.” because most of ‘em don’t know what No Great Shakes “Lost some of your admiration, eh, for Daredevil Flubdud the movie he Yaas.”” “Why?” “ He appeared in person.” a by Caveny Soerrn “Get from under the ladde you know it’s awfui bad luc Don't