Judge, 1923-12-08 · page 6 of 36
Judge — December 8, 1923 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Modesty" by James Montgomery Flagg This satirical piece critiques shifting standards of female modesty in early 20th-century America. The cartoon shows two women displaying what the text calls false "modesty"—one holding a dead animal (likely fur), the other a fashionable purse—while dressed in revealing contemporary clothing. Flagg's satire targets the hypocrisy of women who claim modesty while openly displaying legs, bare arms, and necks—fashion changes the text notes society had recently deemed immodest. The real point: *true* modesty, according to the author, involves moral courage and self-respect, not merely adhering to arbitrary dress codes. The piece mocks both the fashion industry's shifting "modesty" rules and women who uncritically follow them while claiming virtue.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HE EVERYDAY Conception of modesty makes Ti a mean lite suburban cousin of a virtue. As a virtue it is amemic, has a sallow complexion, white eyelashes and wears rubbers in the house. It is all very well to tell a little girl—if you are a mommer and have a little girl mean that she is not to roll around on the to be modest, and explain that you rug and show her panties when company is around. That just comes under the heading of one of the seven deadly moralities. With adult Ameri is a matter of fashion. is that brand of modesty One season it is im- modest for a female to bare her arms and neck—she is allowed to show as much leg as she can stand being chilled. Next season legs are immodest and she covers those religiously and strips from the waist up! And ther Who cares? Stratton, and few care what he cares you are. Only Dr. Tt has no real significance other than mode. It’s merely Or rather, there she is! an excuse for otherwise unnoticed parsons to bust into the headlines. Then there is the other kind of so-called modesty—a_ nice, decent, common sense ac- knowledgment of inferiority—as displayed by MODESTY BY JANES MONTE OMERY FiLace : one of whom is remarked, “He's such a modest fellow!” It would border on the ludicrous for such a one not to be modest. So they call him modest. But the real modesty is a positive virtue. To make a is to real modesty as fearlessness is simultaneous equation, popular modesty to br ry. Keep your seats and I will explain. Fear- lessness implies lack of knowledge of danger: A negative quality. He doesn’t know enough to be afraid. Bravery knows the cost’ and overcomes fear through stoutness of heart. Or as the young miss would say—‘‘guts.” Popular modesty has nothing to be conceited about. Why, then, the encomiums? — Real modesty has achievement to his credit’ but through a combination of will power and a nice sense of the relative value of people suc- ceeds in hiding his conceit of his prowess. That is a positive virtue. Something vicious over- come. The next meeting will be at three on Wed- nesday in the vestry—or the hen house—or wherever it’s most convenient. I' atic hat figu sav by tray and app nun hat she can ano’ ae the was sixt tol time of t I ge the it w T" i prod TI person comicbooks.com