Judge, 1925-05-09 · page 10 of 36
Judge — May 9, 1925 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Alice in Blunderland" - A Satire on Traffic Enforcement Chaos This satirical story mocks the arbitrary and contradictory nature of early automobile traffic enforcement in New York City. Alice, newly arrived from the countryside, encounters police who enforce traffic rules inconsistently and harshly—she's ticketed for going too slow AND too fast, for parking AND for obstructing traffic, for minor infractions like not dimming lights. The satire's point: the system is absurd and designed to punish drivers no matter what they do. The punchline—that Alice escapes harassment only by disguising herself as a male taxi driver—suggests that enforcement targets female drivers specifically, likely reflecting 1920s-era gender bias against women drivers. The accompanying "Krazy Kracks" panel and "Unto Eternity" joke appear to be filler content typical of Judge magazine's format.
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Detail from a scene in a Broadway theater where the comedian has men- tioned the Bronz, Brooklyn, Schenectady, Philadelphia, Oshkosh, and Peoria, and, on top of it all, said * Dann.” Alice in Blunderland HAT a beautiful Alice, as she dro’ ” sighed » off the ferry and started ler flivwer across the streets of New York, “and the people look so kind and hospitable too,” she added. Alice had yg about two blocks when a burly policeman bawled at her, “This is a street! Ain‘tcha got no © “D'm sorry, sir.” Alice answered, turning about and retracing her path, only to be approached at the other end of the street by another polic mean't a left-hand turn here. I've got a good mind to hand you a ticket!” That night Alice went to the theate left her automobile out- side. When she came out another had policeman yelled, “Say, there, sister, you can’t park here.” and he was on the point of arresting when she started to ery and he de- sisted. nan, who shoutec The next morning poor little Mice was given a summons for speeding and that same day the same policeman gave her a summons for obstructing traffic, because she didn’t go fast enough. Two taxicabs smashed into her car and beth the KRAZY RACKS “five a sentence with the word /A Villainy i T gite mea» Judge pays $5 for each krazy krack printed. chauffeurs scolded her something ng the traffic rules. You see, children, taxi terribly, for ot b chauf- irs do not obey the traffic rules in w York i worked up if some one else docs. That night Mic northbound street, they get very much went south ona ma south west by south street west by southeast street and nearly + north on a crazy on a southeast by northwest thoroughfare. She was fined for not dimming her lights, for letting her motor smok: ft hand- and for using kerchief in front of a pe liceman, But Alice was too r Tet all these things jourceful te ther. She thought and thought and thought. And finally, she got a bright idea. She had her hair eut short and put on a boy’s suit and cap. ‘Then she sold her flivver and bought an old taxi- cab, And, do you know, dear children, sine s been driving the taxi. t : 1 scolded even nd she’s having such a jolly time in the big city. Arthur L. Lippmann Unto Eternity “What is the modern girl coming to?” commented Mrs. Oldwed. “Slowly, but surel replied Mr. “to that period of life when ask that very same ques- comicbooks.com