Judge — November 24, 1923 — page 20: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon, signed by W.S. Enright, depicts a bare tree labeled "Coolidge" at the top with various figures scrambling around its base. The figures appear to represent political interests and constituencies fighting over resources, with visible labels including "Bonus," "Reparations," and "Foreign Relations." The satire suggests President Calvin Coolidge (who was from Vermont, hence "Vermont Turkey") as a resource being competed for by different political factions and interest groups. The cartoon criticizes how various constituencies—veterans seeking bonuses, those concerned with war reparations, and those focused on foreign policy—were all making competing demands on the Coolidge administration. The title's reference to a "turkey" implies the president was seen as something to be picked apart or exploited by these various interests.