Judge — February 6, 1926 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a street scene with storefronts and signs advertising entertainment venues ("The Blue Moon," "Circus Ring," "The Purple Pussy," "The Pigsty"). In the foreground, three figures carry large, empty containers—suggesting they're searching for or collecting something scarce. The title references Oliver Goldsmith's 1770 poem "The Deserted Village," which lamented rural depopulation and economic decline. The satire likely comments on **Prohibition-era America** (1920-1933), when alcohol sales were banned. The "deserted" entertainment district with empty vessels suggests the collapse of bars, clubs, and the nightlife industry under Prohibition's enforcement. The figures appear to be searching for illicit alcohol, mocking both the law's futility and the era's cultural drought.