Judge, 1920-02-21 · page 11 of 36
Judge — February 21, 1920 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Let Us Hope" - Judge Magazine Satire This article by Walt Mason, illustrated by Ralph Barton, is a morale-boosting piece targeting post-WWI American pessimism. The cartoon depicts a complaining man surrounded by women (nieces, aunts, cousins) demanding money while he laments that "everything is wrong from Halifax to Cadiz." Mason argues that Americans have wallowed too long in grief, tears, and defeatist talk about societal collapse. He criticizes the habit of constant complaint—about strikes, inflation ("prices have riz"), taxes, and national decay—which he sees as contagious negativity spread to dependents. The satirical point: stop the doom-saying and emotional indulgence. Mason calls for optimism and "a triumphant yawp" to boost "the planet we're infesting." Even married men complaining at home should maintain composure. The piece reflects post-war exhaustion and pushes readers toward patriotic uplift rather than legitimate grievances.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
at Home THe Sinan Mas May Say Tuincs Sap anv Brrrer” Let Us Hope By War Mason Lilustration by Raven Barron “Or Course HEN ‘neath a load of woe I bend, I thus address — whimper, to be as happy as a loon, and, like one, smile and. my nieces: “I wonder when our grief will end? simper. re just ahead, and we can bring them The world’s all shot to pieces!’ Men strike for quic kly, if we proceed with buoyant tread, and can the forecasts this, they strike for that, th Il forsake their If we keep shedding briny tears and talking dire demni- knitting, and under every passing hat a lot of — tion, it may be months, it may be years, before the changed bats are flitting. condition “The prices of all things have riz. until they’re out of reason At home the old grief graft will go; a man must sigh, con and buye * and talk a lot of treason found him, and wade around knee-deep in woe, when all the And taxes grind ‘us to the dust and fill our hearts with sorrow; girls surround him; when one would buy a farthingale, and one alas, my girls, I have no trust in better things tomorrow!” a point-lace collar, and all are eager for the kale, and yearning A man must talk like this at times when nieces, aunts and for the dollar. The married man has certain rights, as to the cousins would touch him for his hard-earned dimes to buy new tomb he hurries; and he may walk the floor at nights, and talk gowns in dozens. So when the females of my home come up about his worries. But when he leaves his home behind, to with smiles to work me, the sweat of anguish racks my dome _ mingle with his fellows, he ought to have a cheerful mind, that’s and dire emotions jerk me; and I put up a bitter spiel about the free from blues and yellows. ills that face me, until some sympathy they feel, and they no Too long we've sloshed around in tears and heaved our longer chase me. groans so hollow, and handed out our dotard fears and talked of We've talked this sort of stuff too long, not only to the — worse to follow. We've got the habit, I’m afraid, of setting ladies; we've sworn that everything is wrong from Halifax to teardrops splashin’, of saying Liberty’s decayed, and eagles out Cadiz. We've stood before the synagogues, and cried, in anger of fashion. It isa habit we should drop; it’s time for smiles and heady, “All things are going to the dogs, if they’re not there __jesting; let’s boost, with a triumphant yawp, the planet we're alread, We've chased around the clanging marts with faces _ infesting. long and gloomy, and talked about our broken hearts, and wept Of course at home the married man may say things sad and till eves were theumy bitter, and none who knows his helpful plan will say that he’s And now it's time to change the tune, and cut out whine and — a quitter. n