Judge, 1924-04-26 · page 10 of 36
Judge — April 26, 1924 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Worthy Fight" - Explanation The cartoon illustrates a satirical story about a man named Meyers who spends his life fighting to prove that jade implements originated in Europe, despite universal ridicule and disbelief. The simple illustration above—a small child overwhelmed by giant circular shapes—reinforces the story's theme: perspective matters. The satire targets scientific stubbornness and nationalist pride. Meyers's obsessive insistence on European origin of jade (an Asian material) appears absurd, yet he's portrayed as heroic for maintaining conviction against mockery. The elaborate, emotional climax—where society finally vindicates him—mocks both scientific dogmatism and the human need for vindication. This likely satirizes early 20th-century debates about cultural origins and "racial" contributions to civilization, poking fun at those who'd force non-European achievements into European frameworks through sheer persistence rather than evidence.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life—as it looks to a three-year-old. THE WORTHY FIGHT Te other day I picked up a book and in idle curiosity turned its pages. Suddenly my eye caught a paragraph which id that a man named Meyers (I think it was Meyers) had, after a lifetime’s fight during which he had been discredited, come into his own by establishing the fact that jade implements were of Euro- pean origin. I thought of his life—of those dark moments when the whole world was against him, alone, fighting single- handed to prove, think what they would, that implements of jade were things that any self-respecting Euro- pean could think of as being part of his culture. How his soul must have been torn when he heard little children say, “Huh, you can’t fool us. Jade implements came from Europe? Don’t make us laugh.” Doubtless as the weary years drag- ged on and Meyers (Meyers, I think was the name) as he propounded the faith that was in him only to be greeted by a perfect storm of “No, no! Liar! Internationalist!” had his black moments—moments in which it seemed hardly worth while to go on with this battle against ignorance and prejudice. Yet inside his soul, inviolate, burned that white flame of conviction—jade implements were of European origin. And then at last came that day, my friends, as it must come to all those who make the good fight, when there appeared a rift in the clouds and Meyers, standing on tiptoe, such was his eagerness, watched the dark vapors roll away and suddenly, suddenly the scofling world turned and with tears of repentance streaming down its face said in a choking voice, “Meyers, you are right—jade implements were of European origin.” And that night the home-coming. What a picture! Mrs. Meyers (Meyers? Meyers?) looking up from the circle around the evening lamp as the door opened and the wearied but triumphant husband appeared. A new light was in his eye, his shoulders were thrown back and, strangely enough, his hat was somewhat askew. ——"! (I've forgotten his chris- tian name) cried his wife, “you're not —surely you're not—” “T've won,” he said simply. “You don’t m * she gasped. “Yes, my dear,” he cried flinging his hat across the room, “I’ve won. They're all with me. At last! It has been a bitter struggle—I’ve kept the faith—.” Tears crept from his eyes and trickled down his cheek. “I think,” he said as he sank into a chair and his voice trailed off, “I think that I'm a little tired. But I've won— I've won! They all agree now—by God, I’ve smashed ’em! Jade imple- ments were of European origin!” And that was a pretty happy night in the Meyers (we may as well decide upon that name now) family. Rouun Kirpy. comicbooks.com