Judge, 1919-09-06 · page 11 of 36
Judge — September 6, 1919 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Cartoon Analysis: Judge Magazine Page The top illustration depicts a humorous newspaper office scene. A young reporter named Jack Scribendi excitedly tells his city editor that he's secured a major scandal story: Colonel Payne is being sued for breach of promise by "Tottie Brassface, the forty-year-old premier danseuse" (dancer). The joke satirizes sensationalist journalism—Jack has essentially bribed or manipulated a subject into providing a scandalous story, paying $10,000 to the newspaper. The editor's emotional response and his reward of a cheap cigar (paid 11 cents, offered as if valuable) mocks both the editor's easily-manipulated sentimentality and the ethics of yellow journalism. The bottom section contains poetry ("Greater than Aladdin") celebrating youth's magical appeal, and a brief hotel joke playing on miscommunication about "calling" guests—the guest fears disturbance while the proprietor assumes "call" means wake-up service. The cartoons appear to mock journalistic corruption and sensationalism prevalent in early 20th-century American newspapers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
GARE Drown by Jonas Cosscuen Old Lady (to Jones, waiting motionles jaunty, little-man’s hat, she climbed out and started nimbly down the rainspout. Several half-hours passed, and the world flashed on. Jack Scribendi hurried into the office again, grasp- ing Belle by the hand. “Hurrah!” he shouted, pro- nouncing it like a Harvard man. “I’ve scooped the biggest story of the year!” The city editor was in the act of removing the waste-basket from his person. “Whom did you show up this time?” he inquired ironically. “Colonel Payne has been sued for breach of promise by Tottie Brassface, the forty-year-old premier dan- seuse! And he’s hired our sheet to show her up; it means $10,000!" “What?” yelled the city editor. mean it!” “Yes,” assured Jack, “I do. And Miss Bohemia, here, helped me. We're going to be marricd as soon as you raise my salary to $9.”” Belle advanced smilingly, hiding her cigarette behind her. “My boy, I’m proud of you,” choked the city edi- tor, his eyes filming with tears and incredulity. ‘But, say,” he questioned anxiously, “didn’t he say any- thing about that pan in yesterday’s paper?” “O, I apologized,” explained Jack lightly, “and he said he hadn’t read that edition, anyway.” “My boy, I’m proud of you,”’ commended his chief. “Here, he said, drawing from his vest-pocket a ten-cent ‘You don’t neck n in his little roxd-louse) —“Jugeernaut!” cigar for which he had paid 11 cents, ‘here, have a smell of this.” Greater than Aladdin By Ricuarn Butter Giaenzer HAVE reached the age Where the young attract By the very fact They are at a stage Where they do not curry Favor, Where is none Worth a moment’s worry Under twenty-one: Every youngster has Magic monkey-tricks Bound to intermix Life with golden jazz. Greater than Aladdin, All the world’s his lamp. Who but loves the mad in Youth, the golden scamp? Would Never Be Called Guest—I wish to make absolutely sure that my slumbers will not be disturbed. Hotel Proprictor—All right. Take any room you please and tell the porter to be sure and call you.