Judge, 1923-03-03 · page 3 of 36
Judge — March 3, 1923 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis: "What Is a Bootlegger?" This page is primarily an advertisement disguised as social commentary. The headline attacks bootleggers (illegal alcohol sellers during Prohibition), calling them lawbreakers who exploit the public. However, the irony is sharp: the article then accuses *ordinary citizens* of similarly breaking Nature's laws through gluttony, lack of exercise, and bodily abuse. The pivot point is "Freedom"—a sarcastic call to abandon excess and return to natural living. This sets up the real pitch: Earle E. Liederman's "Muscular Development" book and physical training program, promising dramatic body transformation in 90 days. The photograph shows Liederman himself as proof. This is essentially a health/fitness ad using Prohibition-era anti-bootlegger rhetoric as a hook to sell personal improvement through exercise—a clever rhetorical sleight equating moral and physical reformation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
What Is a Bootlegger? E is nothing but a common lawbreaker who exacts unreasonable prices from the public because of the chances he takes. But how many of us are almost as bad? We daily break the laws of Nature and think nothing of the terrible chances or consequences. Do You Know the Law? To look at the average man you would swear he never knew the laws of Nature or else he is just plumb crazy. He goes on stufiing any kind of food into his stomach tll it sticks out like a loose meal sack, while his chest looks so flat you would think a steam roller had run over it. He stays out most of the night and then abuses his body most of the day. He never gives his lungs half a chance while his arms swing like pieces of rope with knots on the end. Freedom Cut it out, fellows. Get wise to yourself. If Adam had looked like some of you, Eve would have fed him poison ivy instead of apples. “This foolishness will never get you anywhere but the graveyard. Get back to Nature’s laws and be a real He-man. Pull in your belt and throw out your chest. Give your lungs a treat with that good pure oxygen that is all about you and you will get a better kick than you could get out of a whole case of whiskey. 90 Days Will you turn your body over to me for just 90 days? That’s all it takes—and I guarantee to give you a physique to be really proud of. Understand, 1 don’t promise this—I guarantee it. In 30 days I will increase your arm one full inch, and your chest two inches in the same length of time. And then, just watch ’em grow. From then on you will feel the pep in your old backbone. You will amaze yourself and your friends as well. Do you crave this new life— these new joys—this abounding health and strength? If you do EARLE E. LIEDERMAN The Acme of Physical Perfection Send for My New 64-Page Book “MUSCULAR ae EL OP aes” of myself and i seam E. LIEDERMAN Dept. 3003, 305 Broadway, New York City All I ask is ing and it is yo |, but for the sake of EARLE E. LIEDERMAN Dept. 3003 305 Broadway New York City Weekly and copyrig!