Judge — December 27, 1919 — page 13: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is an illustration by Walter de Maris depicting a social scene at what appears to be a dance or party venue with arched architecture. The caption reads: "Gladys—Take pity on the poor, clumsy thing, and give him another dance. / Millicent—Not while shoes are so expensive, my dear." The satire targets post-WWI economic anxiety, specifically inflation and the rising cost of living in the 1920s. A woman asks her friend to pity a clumsy male dancer, but Millicent refuses because shoes—damaged by his poor dancing—have become prohibitively expensive. The joke reflects widespread concern about inflation and consumer goods prices during this period, making even social courtesies financially unaffordable for ordinary people. It's a commentary on economic hardship affecting everyday life and leisure.