Judge, 1919-11-08 · page 8 of 36
Judge — November 8, 1919 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Understanding This Judge Magazine Page The top cartoon depicts a courtroom scene satirizing working-class desperation during labor unrest. A defendant accused of assaulting his landlord for rent money offers the defense "We are all human at times, your honor"—a sympathetic comment on poverty-driven violence. The judge's skeptical expression suggests the comic's commentary on class conflict: the poor man's violent act is presented as understandable, if not excusable. The bottom section features "Ballad of Cooks" by Charlotte Becker, a nostalgic poem lamenting disappeared domestic servants. Named cooks (Bridget, Margaret, Josephine, etc.) have vanished into factory work, cabaret dancing, and modern occupations—as a machine boss, chauffeur, plane worker. The refrain "Where are the cooks of yesterday?" expresses middle-class anxiety about the domestic labor shortage as women entered industrial employment. This reflects early 20th-century social disruption from urbanization and changing women's work.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LOE: he Z p ‘ AON We 3RO (Nm 1 trrawn by Crawrorp Youna Judge—You are accused of knocking your landlord down and punching him in the eye when he came for the rent; have you anything to say? We are all human at times, your honor.” Ballade of Cooks By Cutartotte Becker “You say you saw the man plainly? rniy de- manded the pin-feathery young attorney. ow, sir, WHERE'S Bridget for whose cheery sake remember you are on oath, and tell us what sort of We bore “The Wearin’ of the Green,” an appearing man he was.” And Margaret, whose pies and cake “Aw, just a runty, sneakly-looking, dried-up, little Would cure the sourest scolder’s spleen ; cuss, about your si .” replied Zeke Yawkey, Where's fat, good humored Josephine of Sandy Mush, / Who o’er our tummies once held sway, Pert Susan and deft Leontine— Where are the cooks of yesterday? Where's dainty Ellen who could make A poem of a beet or bean; And Harriet, who loved to bake Jam-tartlets fit for any queen; And Mary Ann, whose haughty mien ed in unrelenting gray; Grave Kate and saucy Geraldine— Where are the cooks of yesterday? Where's fiery Jane, who made us quake, Yet how she used to scour and clean! And Belle, who lingered but to break A platter and a soup-tureen; Where’s Delia, whom no wiles might wean From “one wee drap,” to our dismay; And Ruth, so nimble and serene— Where are the cooks of yesterday? Boss of some foundry or machine, aes fost Dancer at cabaret or play, Striker—Aw, what do you want to go back to work fo Chauffeuse for plane or limousine— Mar vralis—Well, you gotta go back so you can strike Fe igh be eee eee aa Here are the cooks of yesterday! by Paut Retr