Judge, 1920-06-26 · page 10 of 37
Judge — June 26, 1920 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page critiques American financial irresponsibility. The article presents statistics from New York's Surrogate office showing that most Americans die with minimal estates—85% leave under $1,000—despite supposedly earning well. The author argues Americans excel at *making* money but are utterly incompetent at *saving* it, calling the nation "shiftless" (lazy, irresponsible). The bottom cartoon titled "Playing Both Ends Against the Middle" depicts a domestic scene where a man and woman argue while children watch and a well-dressed observer stands nearby. The dialogue references a traffic accident: the husband hit-and-run a pedestrian without stopping, the wife didn't give him a chance to apologize. The joke sarcastically illustrates moral bankruptcy matching the financial theme—people prioritize speed and self-interest over responsibility in all life domains. The upper illustration shows two children by flowers, captioned about "Looks, Sis! There Ain't So Wire in the Stems of Regular Flowers"—likely a joke about artificial versus natural things, possibly extending the "fake/worthless" metaphor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
seven years following the death of the creator. — Big ittle estates suffer alike in this rapid and sense- fact. may surprise some, it is never theless true that seven-eighths of what Americans leave at death is life insurance! The records of the New York Surrogate’s office over a period of five vear show the following facts regarding the estates left by adults dying during that time 3% left no estate whatever 85 43% left from $300 to $1,000 1 1 1 « left from $1,000 to 8, left from $5,000 to $10,000, 8€F left from $10,000 to $25,000. 3% left over Looxry, Sist Trnae Aistr so Wire iy rie Srests What's wrong with this nation? We seem to know or Recuian t = hov ake money and how to make it rapidly. But we don’t know a darned thing about saving it! ‘That's Shiftless the rub. If we knew how to save and could do it as éifexux: Rercvons well as we can spend, this nation wouldn't be so shiftless om So, the next time you pick up a magazine or a news- NONSTANT recurrence of a misstatement in time and read there me statement b r C will make that n appear like the val prosperity, just let your mind slant back and A golden truth. For ex there certain consider some of the facts I’ve quoted in g i twe area p We're shiftless and that’s no mistake sort of thi into ¢ facts not generally 1 Why do you always go to the show right in the of the picture? rich nation, why is it that 9go0°O Oh, because I can wonder not only how it will active business to reach old end, but also how it will begir lessness © fact of twen provide per mvs lack Even the children of thi Playing Both Ends Against the Middle a <uau’s Deer wy - a natior would cer- when we that the only lasts comicbooks.com