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

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis This satirical cartoon references the nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle," reimagined as political commentary. The title "High (C. of L.) Diddle-Diddle" appears to reference "C. of L." (likely "Cost of Living"), a major political concern of the era. The illustration shows anthropomorphic animals—a dog and cat playing musical instruments—with labeled elements including "Wages," "Labor," "Politics," and "Administration." The subtitle states "And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon," adapting the nursery rhyme's conclusion. The cartoon satirizes how ordinary people (represented by the humble dish and spoon) are being cheated or displaced by various political and economic forces, while established institutions play on regardless. The high cost of living and political administration are portrayed as separate from—or indifferent to—workers' actual welfare.