Judge, 1922-11-18 · page 35 of 36
Judge — November 18, 1922 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page collects humorous cartoons about Navy sailors ("gobs"), a slang term from WWI-era. The satire works on multiple levels: **Main Theme**: Sailors attempting art or cultural pursuits, contrasting their rough seafaring reputation with refined activities. The opening poem playfully suggests sailors are surprisingly capable artists—calling them "the Kitten's meow" (1920s slang for excellence). **Individual Jokes**: - Sailors sleeping on billiard tables at the YMCA for sixty cents - A green sailor misinterpreting "all hands on deck" literally - An old salt claiming his naval "capacity" was drinking ("four or five quarts a day") - A joke about falsifying medical readings by heating thermometers **Social Context**: Post-WWI humor satirizing working-class sailors' interactions with institutions (YMCA, hospitals) and their linguistic/cultural gaps. The humor assumes readers find sailors' rough behavior and speech patterns amusing when placed in genteel or technical situations. The cartoons gently mock both sailor culture and institutional pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Gobs of Art A gob is a guy Who's willing to try At running a race or a scow; And at art a sea rover Is—well, look these over, We'll say he's the Kitten’s meow! Drawn by Matt Murry, “Yep! One way to Hayfork.” Drown by J. M. WATSON. God's country ain't what it used to be. Drawn by WALT MUNSON First Gob—The ol’ “Y” was sure t—~ packed last night, Red. I had to sleep ; on the billiard table. Second Gob—What did they charge you? “The same old rate—sixty cents an Drawn by STANBY HusBann, U. S. Navy hour.” Captain—Didn't you hear me say, “All hands on deck?” Green Sailor—Yes, sir, I put my hands on the deck and another feller trod on ‘em. Drawn by Lawrence J, Krexan Famous sayings by famous gobs. Drawn by Dick KENNEDY. Drawn by T. Breso. Old Timer—Yes, sir, I was in the Navy m'self when I was a youngster. APPLIED NAVAL STRATEGY Young Blood—Er, what was your Midshipman John Paul Jones Dewey official capacity, sir? a reaches the hospital by accelerating “Four or five quarts a day. the speed of the thermometer.