Judge, 1920-06-12 · page 9 of 36
Judge — June 12, 1920 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Waste of Effort" by Walt Mason (Judge Magazine) This is a satirical essay with an accompanying illustration mocking political activism and social reform efforts. The cartoon depicts a man relaxing on clouds in space, smoking—representing apathetic resignation. The text chronicles Mason's journey from young idealist to cynical pragmatist. He once wrote angry articles denouncing government corruption and vice, believing activism could change society. Now, older and "wiser," he realizes such efforts are futile: the government continues regardless, corrupt officials ignore protests, and the public pursues pleasure instead of virtue. The satire's target is ambiguous—it could mock either the futility of reform *or* the defeatist attitude itself. The phrase "The Wise Men say the world is crazed" suggests Mason ironically questions whether resignation truly represents wisdom. The essay ultimately endorses passivity ("I sit and smoke and let things slide"), leaving readers uncertain whether Mason endorses this stance or critiques it as moral surrender.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘COLUMBUS CIRCLE “Tue Wise Mex Sav tae Worto Is Crazeo—Bur | Just Saoke ano Ler Tuixes Sure, Waste of Effort By War Mason stration by EFORE the years had made me wise, I filled the air with plaintive cries. [saw things going to the dogs; the government was slipping cogs; Vice reigned, with a triumphant whoop, with Virtue ever in the soup; where’er L looked [ saw a crime, and was red- headed all the time. 1 wrote long articles and screeds denouncing statesmen’s evil deeds; I viewed forever with alarm, and vowed I'd lose a n, if that would stem the sinful tide—but now [ smoke let things. slide The government goes on the sime. play their game. Our bulwarks seem to be on deck, thoug however statesmen foresaw they'd be a wreck Now other fellows walk the floor and cuss the government roar; they stand upon the marketplace and say that disgrace; and they bombard the public prints with ting doom in forty styles an things letters full of doleful hints, pre because of base official wiles. But I have wisdom deep and wide; IT sit and smoke and let things slide at all the rumpus I could raise would change the govern mental ways. If Uncle Sam’s resolved to burn the money that he doesn’t carn, and tax us till our souls are gray, just to throw away, my wails and protests he'd deride; and so L smoke and let things slide The Wise Men say the world is crazed; they’re shocked disgruntled and amazed. Now Pleasure is the end and aim of every delegate and dame. No fellow thinks it wise to save re or money Rateu Barto and we old are in the boneyard, stark And T might rise and ra through my tile, and sce some hoary truths applied, but 1 just smoke and let things slide For who that’s out to blow the kale would stop because [ raised a wail? Would Clarence hear my voice and stop, when he had ordered lem« op? Would Charles Augustus halt his pace when headed for the soft drinks place? Would g damsels ce to go to Chaplin and the movie show? No cloquence of mine, 1 ween, could halt the sale line. Then why exert myself in vain? Why give myself and you a pain? I sit and eat my oysters fried; [rest and smoke all joyride to the grave. ‘There is no thrift, the virtues nd cold. a while, and push predictions of gas, nd let things slide And when [ used to rant and fret, and wallow in indignant id branded me a bore. And no one came to visit me and gossi} ath, tree. And people dodged me in the street—my line sweat, L wearied people with my roar, and they I the sunse of discourse was no trea But now I let the world wag by, without a protest or a s kat million things have jumped ies out all right; fool fads will A million things are out of wha the track; but everything c perish in a night; evils that look big today will shortly shrivel and decay; the sun is shining overhead, and virtue really isn’t dead I let the t things slide. and tet with the hide; [sit and sm comicbooks.com 4