Judge, 1927-03-12 · page 10 of 36
Judge — March 12, 1927 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Popular Mechanics Number of Judge" - Page Explanation This is a humorous parody issue of *Judge* magazine styled as "Popular Mechanics." The page satirizes overly complicated or absurd "labor-saving" inventions through mock-serious presentation. The cartoons ridicule impractical solutions to everyday problems: a "bird-wing flying machine" for hanging pictures (needlessly complex), an "elevator bed" to access the furnace without leaving warmth (silly engineering), a "no-gas car" requiring manual pushing (defeating the purpose of automobiles), and a "stump-removal device" (presented without explanation, suggesting it's equally dubious). The humor stems from the contrast between the earnest tone of Popular Mechanics magazine and these transparently useless contraptions. One invention is attributed to "Terry Haute of Terre Haute, Ind."—a pun on the place name—and the text admits he's never actually tested it, undercutting the pseudo-authoritative presentation. The final panel mocks Popular Mechanics' editor, suggesting even *he* doesn't use these inventions practically. It's satire of American enthusiasm for mechanization and "progress" over common sense.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
POPULAR MECHANICS NUMBER OF JUDGE NOVEL INVENTION NOVEL INVENTION Bird-wing flying machine for hanging pictures This novel device was invented by Terry Haute of Terre Haute, Ind., one winter when he was confined to his bed with rheumatism of the elbow which he contracted from letting it stand on the bar in a pool of be lhe illustration above is merely a fancy of the artist, as Mr. Haute has never actually tried out his device. He is at present try to get his wife to make the experime NOVEL INVENTION A novel device for removing stumps of trees; it is claimed to be very efficacious With this elevator-bed, you descend and fix the furnace without leaving the covers; then up again till the bedroom is warm | “This is the no-gas car. You push the forward part with Breakfast in the home of the Editor of Popular Mechanics the handles, and that part pulls the rear part” as most people imagine it comicbooks.com