Judge, 1921-01-01 · page 11 of 32
Judge — January 1, 1921 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "Profiteers" by Walt Mason (Judge Magazine) This is a satirical poem with illustration about **wartime or post-war profiteering**—when ordinary working-class people exploit customers through price-gouging and poor service. The cartoon depicts two grotesque figures: a barber and Tobasco Porter (a lawn-mower), now acting as arrogant "profiteers." The text contrasts their former humble, polite service with their current greed and rudeness. The narrator, despite being cheated—overcharged for bad food, poor haircuts, lawn-mowing—tries to rationalize their behavior as financial desperation ("he needs the money," "his children number twenty"). The satire's point: **small-time working-class profiteers are worse than wealthy ones because they add insult to injury**—they're rude and contemptuous while gouging. The narrator can forgive greed if done "cheerily," but resents the arrogance. The final couplet condemns profiteers for being "sassy, bold and sneering"—their attitude makes victims "sick." The illustration's exaggerated facial expressions emphasize their contemptible, predatory nature.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Now tue sae Tonasco Porter 18 A BOLD AND HAUGHTY JAY. Profiteers By Warr \Lason Illustration by RALPH BARTON HEN we speak of profiteering we are thinking of — glad to have my trade, and he gossiped gayly, brightly, as he the plutes; helpless sheep they're daily shearing, | made my whiskers fade; now he seems inclined to step on all my from their foretops to their boots. And nodoubt feelings, leaving scars, and he plies bis rusty weapon with a the barons greedy cinch us when they have a — truculence that jars. chance, and we all are poor and needy, and we I would smile on profiteering if the gents who pinch my wad, want a change of pance. did it in a manner cheering, wearing smiles serene and broad. But I find some profiteering done by poor and humble jays, as Being stung is not so frightful, if the stinger plays his game I daily go careering up and down the village ways. in a manner so delightful that his course seems void of shame ) tj There is old Tobasco Porter; in the days forever gone, he Just today Tatea dinner at the restaurant of Jones; and a meal was glad to take a quarter for the mowing of my lawn. He — should be a winner when it costs three hard-earned bones. But was modest then and humble, as he turned that useful trick, — the grub was punk and seedy and the cooking was a crime, and for he feared if he should grumble, I would fire him pretty — the geezer would be greedy if he charged therefor a dime. But quick. Then the woods were full of fellows who were glad — my smile continued sunny, for I thought, concerning Jones, to earn a dime; how my sad heart warms and mellows when “Probably he needs the money, needs my large round iron I think of that glad time! bones; doubtless in his heart he’s thinking that he shouldn’t Now the same Tobasco Porter is a bold and haughty jay; he’s charge so high, for the fish I had was stinking, there was mildew a grumbler and a snorter, and he strikes three times aday. And — on the pie; but he needs the coin a-plenty, it must surely be he charges me two dollars for the cutting of his swath; which allowed, for his children number twenty, and his aunts form t is why I wilt my collars in the sweat of righteous wrath. quite a crowd.” j And the barber charges double what he charged in days of But his manner, like a trumpet, said as he took in the pay } | old, when he mows away the stubble that has changed to gray “You may like or you may lump it—you may come or stay from gold. Since he makes my map the cleaner, what he away!” charges wouldn't grind, but I kick at his demeanor, at his Oh, the fellows profiteering! If they'd only do it slick! But haughty state of mind. Once he treated me politely, and seemed _ they're sassy, bold and sneering, and they make the victims sick! n | | comicbooks.com