Judge — April 2, 1927 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts a well-dressed man in a top hat poisoning an apple tree. A bottle labeled "POISON" sits prominently on a table below. The caption reads: "Now let 'em drink their vile apple-jack!" The satire appears to target **Prohibition-era politics**. The gentleman represents someone (likely a politician or wealthy industrialist) deliberately contaminating apple products—presumably to create applejack (an alcoholic cider beverage)—to harm the working class or opponents. The cartoon critiques either: 1. Hypocrisy around Prohibition enforcement, or 2. Deliberate sabotage of liquor supplies for political gain The "vile apple-jack" reference suggests class-based mockery, portraying the drink as inferior and the poisoning as intentional harm to common people. Without a date visible, the exact political moment remains unclear, though the Prohibition context is unmistakable.