Judge, 1920-07-31 · page 8 of 36
Judge — July 31, 1920 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis for Modern Readers This Judge magazine page contains several satirical pieces: **"His Title Deserved"** mocks racial stereotypes through dialect humor. A Black library custodian defends his formal job title over "janitor" by claiming in Memphis they use a cruder term, so his current position requires "cursing half the patrons." The satire appears to target pretension and class distinction rather than support the racial slurs embedded in the dialogue—typical of early 20th-century humor that used offensive language reflexively. **"Greenwich Village" section** satirizes bohemian/artistic subculture of 1920s New York—mocking pretentious artists, socialists, imagist poets, and "slummers" (wealthy tourists visiting poor neighborhoods for entertainment). References to ouija boards, nude pictures, and Bolshevism reflect contemporary anxieties about radical and unconventional lifestyles. **The domestic comedies** ("Perfect Balance," "Preparedness," "Too Sudden") use standard boy-meets-girl scenarios for mild humor about courtship and household staff interactions. The page reflects era-specific class anxieties and prejudices now dated.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Drawn by WO. Wiss + A. \ Tovcn or Coutc A Perfect Balance Action and re-action are always equal. It takes the young man who calls on my t takes her to him Jay—Righ daughter just as long to say “good-night” to her, as to get ready to come down and say “hew do you ¢ His Title Deserved The colored caretaker of a small-town library boasted the title of “Custodian,” which he had embroidered on the front of his cap, a source of lasting pride. Having marked diplon ability, he deserved a four-syllable title, One morning while he was sweeping off the front walk a wandering loafer, also of African extraction, paused in front of him and scrutinized the cap closely “Cuss-todian!” he ejaculated. “Down whah I come fiom they calls common niggers like you janitahs.” Ye-es,” observed the ebon. hued diplomat, pausing a mo- ment from his labors, right in Memphis. But ona job like dis, *cuss-todian’ is mo’ ap- propriate. You sec, you got to cuss half de and toady est of “em.” Atron: Preparedness Ned—Aha! Moving your stogies from your coat pocket to your vest looks — suspicious! Going to hug Mabel, I'll bet! Ted—You lose. Her father smokes, Drawn by Pact Rewer Somenuse Wr a Kick In It Greenwich Village Wh RB: Lywan Artes The H”! polloi and phantasmagoria, Victims of circumstance, art. and dysphoria; Naughty nude pictures, and comrades, and couches; Loud little buns and black coffee grouches; Knife-hacked and wine blacked Tables for world-wracked a Smock -wearing sirens and socialist slouches; Goulash, spaghetti, batik, and babble; Highbrows and highballs and rum-hounds and rabble, Imagist poems and metrical swi Studio shopkeepers striving for pillage; Slummers and bummers. strummers n of dreams under Bolshevik tillage. Sight-Seer Speaks The Villager Intones Hard boards comfort me. 4 Hard boards of the illimitable—froe Ripe peaches reclining on the bloom of purple grapes— Distant music on attentive ears Si flake on a raven tress Somnolence anywhere Velvet dawn! Can there be gentler things? Who knows The softness of the sea to suicides” Hard boards comfort Hard boards and freedom! — % Ouijs Side-Board “I'm surprised —a hard-keaded business man like you play- ing with a oujja board! “Sh—sh! I've got my deceased butler under control. He's telling me where he hid away some of that old rye I missed from my sideboard.” | Too Sudden Mrs. Vandemar (apprehensively)—What is it, Nora? | Nora—Well, mum, I just thought I'd better tell you s straight out, mum, so we'd understand one another. I like the place Why, what's the matter, mum? Mrs. Vandemar (recovering)—Just a slight faintness. comicbooks.com