Judge, 1923-04-14 · page 3 of 36
Judge — April 14, 1923 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page (April 12, 1923) **Main Content:** A satirical play titled "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" by Harry Irving Shumway, featuring a dialogue between a Man and a Traffic Officer on a boulevard. **The Satire:** The joke targets traffic enforcement and speed regulations. A man complains about being stopped for speeding, claiming he was going "thirty-five" mph. The officer insists the legal limit is twenty mph and threatens a citation. The absurdist humor emerges through the man's escalating rationalization—he boasts of going "thirty-five" but then claims it was "more than that," ultimately admitting he felt he was "going thirty-five an hour." **Context:** This reflects 1920s anxieties about automobile culture, speed limits, and police enforcement of traffic laws—then relatively new regulations. The title ironically invokes the Declaration of Independence to satirize petty traffic stops.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
An Untruthful Play by Harry Irving Shumway NE: A conspicuous spot on the boule- S der i if Actors: A Driving Man. Officer. Man: My dear fellow, you stopped as soon as possible. Officer: I know you did. inconvenienced you. Man: Not at all. Can I be of service in any way? Officer: Now you mention it, I believe you were going thirty-two miles an hour. The regulations say— Man: I know them perfectly. is the positive limit. Admir- able regulations they are. Officer: You see the differ- ence, my dear sir. Some twelve miles per hour. Not to be lightly ig- nored. Man: Ah,not a Although I believe it was more than that. I feel sure I was going thirty- five an hour. Officer: Well, I thought that, too, although I hesitated to say You see, I make mistakes and—you understand. Man: Of course. Now, I presume you wish to see my license. A Traffic I Sorry to have Twenty “Life, Liberty and the pursuit Officer: I don’t wish to inconvenience you to that extent. Iam content with your word that you have it. Man: I have it, my dear fellow. Officer: Quite satisfactory. Man: I suppose I can count on being in court Monday morning? Officer: I fear not. Man: But really. Officer: I am here on the boulevard merely to suggest, not to annoy. I but intimate that the next time you drive along our beautiful thoroughfare that you throttle down to at least twe that asking too much, my dear chap? Man: Oh, not at all. Insist upon get- ting it down to eighteen. Conforming to the rules. 1 appiness”’ Officer: T beg of you, don't go to such extremes. I should be provoked. Man: No, no. It will be a pleasure. Officer: Well, if you see it that way— Man: Ido. And I thank you for your kindness. It is nothing. hen I may proceed? ik your Man: »! n, my dear fellow! ss 2 “Have you noticed the latest thing in *s clothes: “Yes. Women. argu- inst the ment marriage other day. A man and _ his wife were hav- ing it. Freshman — Well, me lad, underwent ¢ thorough pl sical exami tion to-« the doe say that I’m as sound as a nut. Soph—Oh! He’s also an alienist? sas May —What you do would if you had a million dollars? Ann—I'd wake up. ttt Not all is art that’s nude.