Judge — May 26, 1923 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a temperance or Prohibition-era cartoon, likely from the early 20th century. The illustration depicts a tall, austere woman (possibly representing a temperance advocate or moral authority figure) standing on a pedestal overlooking a city, holding a torch aloft—evoking the Statue of Liberty imagery. Her declaration—"Ships that touch liquor shall never touch me!"—is a satire of strict temperance ideology. The cartoon mocks the absolutist stance of Prohibition supporters by personifying their moral position as an unrealistic, grandiose figure making impossible demands on commerce and shipping. The ships at the harbor below represent the practical reality of international trade and alcohol distribution, contrasting with the cartoon's critique of temperance movement's refusal to acknowledge economic realities.