Judge — February 7, 1920 — page 21: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine page satirizes American anxieties about Bolshevism (Soviet communism) during the Red Scare era. The title panel depicts Bolsheviks as destructive forces—shown as a plant with tentacles spreading poison labeled "Pride of American Industries." The surrounding panels use newspaper headlines to illustrate perceived Bolshevik threats: labor agitation ("American Labor" figure), property destruction, and general societal chaos. One panel shows a figure labeled "Production & Income" being attacked. The satire mocks both actual communist activity and exaggerated American fears of it. References to specific newspapers (St. Louis, Cleveland, Los Angeles) suggest these were real contemporary concerns being reported. The overall message: Bolshevism threatens American industry, labor stability, and prosperity—a common propagandistic theme during the 1920s Red Scare period.