Judge — March 10, 1923 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes tax season burden. A harried man sits at a desk surrounded by papers labeled "INCOME TAX" and "WORK SHEET," looking distressed as he attempts calculations. Visible in the background are what appear to be spheres or planets, possibly representing the astronomical figures of his tax burden. The title puns on Shakespeare's "Ides of March" (the fateful date in *Julius Caesar*), substituting "Adds" to reference the addition and arithmetic demands of filing taxes. The cartoon mocks the complexity and stress of income tax preparation, presenting it as an overwhelming, almost cosmic burden on ordinary citizens. This reflects early 20th-century American frustration with federal income tax requirements.