Judge — December 27, 1919 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "Want Advertisements—If We Really Got What We Asked For" This satirical cartoon page mocks the gap between what employers actually want versus what job advertisements claim to seek. Each vignette presents absurd scenarios showing the consequences of literally getting the requested workers: - "White girl for cooking": depicts a woman lounging while a cherub cooks - "Man to clean out bank": shows someone literally excavating the building - "Stenographer, must be fast": illustrates someone moving at superhuman speed - "Young girl with no experience": shows predictable incompetence The humor targets unrealistic job posting expectations—particularly regarding gender, age, and qualifications. The exaggerated illustrations emphasize how employers' stated requirements rarely match actual workplace reality. This reflects early 20th-century labor market frustrations and gender-based hiring discrimination.