Judge — August 2, 1919 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Start Something!" — Judge, August 2, 1919 This illustration by James Montgomery Flagg depicts a well-dressed man in formal attire surrounded by cherubic children, with the caption "Start Something!" The cartoon likely satirizes postwar anxieties about family planning and population. The man's somewhat reluctant posture amid the playful children suggests commentary on either the burdens of large families or—more likely given 1919's context—concerns about encouraging procreation after World War I's devastating casualties. The phrase "Start Something!" carries ironic weight: it could mock men hesitant about fatherhood, or critique societal pressure to replenish the population depleted by the war. Without additional contextual text visible on this page, the precise satirical target remains somewhat ambiguous, though the tone appears gently comedic rather than harsh.