Judge, 1921-03-12 · page 10 of 32
Judge — March 12, 1921 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "How It Could Be Done": A Satire on Mail Snooping This cartoon mocks the idea of government surveillance of private mail. The illustration shows a woman on a scale being weighed by officials—a visual metaphor for invasive inspection. The accompanying "Statistical Report" parodies bureaucratic language to satirize mail-opening. It fictionalizes an "Amalgamated Society of Snoops" investigating over 716 million letters to classify citizens' private correspondence. The absurd statistics reveal what Americans actually write about: complaints about postal service, Prohibition-era liquor hiding, home brew recipes, and "mash notes" (love letters). The satire targets several concerns: government overreach, Prohibition enforcement (New Yorkers discussing "secreted stocks"), and the violation of privacy. By presenting this in dry statistical language, Judge magazine highlights how ridiculous and intrusive such systematic mail surveillance would be—likely reflecting contemporary anxieties about government power during the Prohibition era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Drawn by Catvent Sunrn How It Covip Be Done Statistical Report By EW ALD agents of the Amalgamated Society of Snoops have just completed a sweeping and systematic investigation of the United States mails for the purpose of ascertaining and classifying the contents of all letters, in order to find out what people write about. During the inquiry, which covered a onths, twenty-cight days and twelve hours, In order to carry out Terres period of eight 716,437,75014 letters were examined. their purpose, some of the agents disguised themselves as ruralites and hobnobbed with country postmasters, while others secured positions as valets and maids and in this capacity read and classified their employers’ mail. But the bulk of such paid agents instituted themselves as federal employees in the dead letter office, which offered the largest and most fertile field. As a result of this investigation, the following statistics were compiled: Letters between friends complaining of postal service, 1,864,- 975, Letters from New Yorkers regarding secreted stocks of liquor, 2,927,006, Home brew recipes, 11,765,432. Letters complaining that above recipes are failures, 11, 765,890. Mash notes Letters from Invitations from friends with cellars, 29,763,578 Acceptances to above, (Explanatory note: The other recipients wired and caught the first train.) Letters from poor relations, 36,841,027. Replies to foregoing. 1,468. Manuscripts to Jupce, 112,648. Challenges from Boxers and Wrestlers, 212,646, Miscellaneous, 12,578,912. Circulars, duns, political advertising, ete., 29,- 763,500) 5. (The other half letter was da celling machine.) Her Bow By Rutu Bassett Eopy ed by a cane Y love is dear, my love is sweet, With dainty hands and pretty feet; She has the most attractive ways— But O alas! on windy day But then, I'd better be discreet! YS eee I'd never seen her at the beach. Against short skirts she'd always preach. Her face is really full of charm, But when the wind blows—what’s the harm? Anatomy has much to teach I'm of a jealous turn of mind: One day my love was most unkind. But when I started with a threat She laughed and said, “Please don’t forget That you are not the only beau T have.” And now, at last I know. (Some bows are rather hard to find!) In Bugyille The Leg of Nations. No. 4, “Whot became of the Bugville roof gar- den with its chorus of 4 agil: grasshoppers?” “Another manager knocked it out with a chorus of — shapely thousand -leggers.”” 3 Revised “Won't you step into my parlor,” said the snake-charmer to the snake. “LT should be charmed,” replied the snake with true rep- tilian courtesy. yy France By Jous Herp, Jr, Mircnece Axo Grorce Oh, Opal! P hat sort of child is Payton’s last infant? A boy ora girl? ’arker— Neither; he’s an epic poet. THERE NEVER WAS A SINGLE DOUBT “THat FRANCE WOULD THINK OF STAYING out, WITH ALL THE WORLD A STAGE THUS SET For THIS PERENNIAL COQUETTE. comicbooks.com