Judge, 1926-08-28 · page 36 of 36
Judge — August 28, 1926 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **prohibition-era advertisement**, not political satire. The page mocks Prohibition (the nationwide ban on alcohol, 1920-1933) by suggesting that Silver King ginger ale and mineral water allow people to continue drinking socially during the dry era. The cartoon shows two well-dressed men in "club rooms" and "lobbies"—settings where gentlemen would traditionally gather to drink alcohol. The ad's joke: they've discovered how to make Prohibition "endurable" by mixing these non-alcoholic beverages, which will give drinking occasions "sparkle and exhilaration." The phrase "Mix with Silver King—with or without" contains a wink: suggesting the ginger ale works as a mixer with hidden alcohol ("without" implying it's unnecessary because people will spike it anyway). This advertisement exploits public frustration with Prohibition by positioning the product as a workaround to the law—a common marketing strategy during this period when alcohol remained popular despite illegality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Found! A new way to make PROHIBITION N the club rooms—listen! In the lob- bies—listen! Wherever gentlemen of the wet school are gathered in earnest discussion—listen and you will hear the new formula “Mix with Silver King”— the Mineral Water Ginger Ale. It does wonders with whatever you have because it is the natural mixer— made exclusively with the famous Silurian Mineral Water and bottled only at the Silver EXTRA DRY GINGER ALE and SILVER KING SPARKLING MINERAL WATER “THE BEST MIXERS” ENDURABLE Spring! That is why Silver King is such an incomparable “blender”—why it has so mellowing and smoothing an effect— why it gives such sparkle and exhilaration. If you haven’t tried Silver King you’ve missed a bet. Try it—with or without— and learn something to your advantage. Silver King Ginger Ale is the silver lining. Silver King Products Corporation, 247 Park Avenue, New York, N. Y. comicbooks.com