Judge — September 3, 1921 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Cover, September 3, 1921 This is a satirical cartoon drawn by Perry Barlow depicting a cemetery scene. A figure (appears to be a gravekeeper or worker) stands among headstones with a sign reading "SLOW DOWN," "SHARP TURN," and "AHEAD." The caption reads: "AUTO-TIZEMENT, I WOULDN'T PAY NO MIND TO YO' EP I WAS A-GOIN' ER HUNDRED MILES A HOUR!" The joke satirizes automobile safety warnings and early traffic signs, suggesting that drivers ignore cautionary road signs, particularly when speeding. The graveyard setting grimly implies that ignoring such warnings leads to fatal accidents. This reflects 1921 concerns about automobile safety, reckless driving, and the emerging infrastructure of road safety systems during the early automotive era.