Judge, 1924-05-31 · page 7 of 36
Judge — May 31, 1924 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Land of Opportunity" - Judge Magazine Satire This page satirizes **Prohibition-era bootlegging** (illegal alcohol production/distribution following the 1918 Volstead Act). The main text mocks a fraudulent "bootlegging course" advertisement promising young men $500-$5,000 weekly by entering the illegal liquor trade. A testimonial from a "graduate" boasts of making $53,000 in April—clearly exaggerated to expose the scheme's absurdity. The satire critiques how Prohibition created perverse incentives: criminals grew wealthy while enforcement officers could afford world trips on bribes. The course offerings (home production, border smuggling, evading law) enumerate bootlegging's actual illegal activities, presented deadpan as legitimate instruction. The top cartoon shows a baseball scene ("Batter—Whaddayamean, strike tuh? It was away out!"), likely unrelated commentary on the same page. The bottom cartoon's centaur joke appears separate. **The satire's point:** Prohibition transformed crime into a lucrative "profession," inverting American values and creating perverse economic incentives.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
— [DIOT ASKA veri du le (right officer The Land of Opportunity D. An Sin: Your name having been supplied to me confidentially, I wish to. state that Im in position to offer you a Complete BootLeccinG Course In this dry, so-called, country, since pa of t Volstead Actin 1918, there has sprung up such a tre- mendous demand for trained, unserupu- ers that Tam making this to cnable deserving and lous booth special offer inbitious young men to step into this profitable line of work. [will teach you how to make from $500 to $5,000 weekly vith less effort than it takes your cus- s to drink the stuff. Take advantage of my special offer at once and get into this lucrative, intel- lectual game. Why spend) your. time worki Why go to college and waste cars fitting yourself to earn the money that PH show you how to drag in within 1s? Be your own boss! Thou- afew da sands of parched throats are waiting for ou! Supply the great thirst market! Read what this graduate (Bachelor of Bootlegging) say's of my instruction: Dear Sir: Although [am only a beginner 1 certainly. am) knocking them. soggy. IL made 000 in April. Before I took your course L was a driver on a milk wagon and didu’t know what it I about. Now [have 600 2 lar clients and I just paid $35,000 cash fi mansion that) an enforcement officer had no use for since he has taken his family on a trip around the world. Lown my own strect car line and expect to buy the public library if theyll sell was Ai PP Aine Batter—Whaddayamean, strike tuh? it to me. Lalso have three dozen silk shirts. I hope other young men will let you tell them how to get in this nice clean work. Gratefully yours, — Wisconsin. (Name and address application, accompanied by creden- tials certified to by notary public.) supplied on Gossiping Lady Centaur—My dear, if I were you, I'd have nothing to say to that gentleman—they say he has the heaves. It was away out! Here are my courses of instruction: 1. Home production, Beer, hootch, wine, ete. 2. Dilution and Distribution. Mass Selling. ft. Co-operation with Authorities. 5. Border Smuggling. 6. How to Evade the Law. 7. What to Do If Arrested. (Note—For $10. extra Twill also leach you how to read and write enough to take care of your checks and mail-order work.) Write at once for my special folder “Successful Bootleggers I Knew Before I Died.” This tells about the profits of the business, You can become a big- money-maker in a few days, by simply training a little during your spare time Get into a real profession! Doctors make $10,000 ay lawyers more than that but no records are able; dentists make $5,000; makes $15,000—BUT getter bootlegger can mi —Act Now! —Ger Ovr or tue Ret! Be Respected and Envied By Ev Write Cuter ov Sravt INTERNATIONAL BootLEccErs Institute, INe., 15 Prohibition Avenue Gurgle, Ind. Cer Siarer lest he-man, go- © millions. yoOne,