Judge — August 5, 1922 — page 18: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes the relationship between the liquor industry and financial institutions during Prohibition. The tall, skeletal figure in formal dress at the center appears to represent a banker or wealthy financier serving as the "patron saint" of bootleggers and speakeasy operators gathered around him. The text references "Annual National Banque Leggers" and "Prohibition," indicating the cartoon mocks how banks profited from illegal alcohol trade despite Prohibition laws. The figures surrounding the central character—holding bottles and glasses—represent bootleggers or underground liquor dealers. The satire suggests financial elites hypocritically enabled criminal enterprises while publicly supporting or appearing neutral on Prohibition, positioning themselves as patrons of illegal activity.