Judge, 1927-04-16 · page 13 of 36
Judge — April 16, 1927 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Judge Magazine Satire Analysis The cartoon satirizes the gap between a boss's careless dictation and the polished letter his stenographer produces. **The Setup:** Mr. Billings, president of a box company, complains that modern stenographers are "empty-headed" and "dumb"—unlike girls from "the old days." He then dictates a rambling, grammatically mangled letter full of colloquialisms ("There was three dozen boxes," "gyps," incomplete thoughts) to a client about a shipment complaint. **The Joke:** Miss Brown, the stenographer he's just insulted, transforms his incoherent dictation into a professional, eloquent business letter. The client receives something polished and diplomatic—the opposite of what Billings actually said. **The Satire:** The humor cuts both ways: it mocks Billings' arrogance and poor communication skills while simultaneously demonstrating the stenographer's competence and intelligence—directly contradicting his dismissal of modern office workers. The implication is that any improvement in company communication comes *despite* the boss, not because of him.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGNH Carrer—Is your wife to home, Mr, Hatfield? I dunno- Miss Brown Takes a Letter “Ain't been able to get a decent stenographer since the war,” de- clared George Billings, president of the Billings Box, Bag and Bur- lap Company. “All the girls now- adays are empty-headed, just plain dumb. They ain't like the girls we used to get in the old days. You oughta sce some of the letters that go out 0’ here— jist terrible.” He pressed a button on his desk and the stenographic Miss Brown glided in and seated herself, note- book ready and pencil poised. Mr. Billings cleared his throat, lit a cigar and dictated: “The Simpson Salmon Com- pany, Simpson, Oklahoma. At- tention of George Simpson. Dear There was three dozen boxes short in our last shipment you say in yourn of the sixteenth which you complained in that goods is not arriving up to grade and I want to say that we m our hoxes like s more bracing and grade A stock so your com- plaint don’t go and the shipping clerk backs me up on the count. Don’t tell me how the Atlantic fellers make their boxes if we made stuff like that bunch of gyps we'd be out of business long ago. Always glad to allow a complaint but I ain’t goin’ to let Pil look.” nobody put one over on us. Very truly yours...” Miss Brown paused and looked up. “That'll be all for today,” said Mr. Billings, gathering “up his golf clubs. “You sign it and send it out, but for the love of Mike watch your spelling and grammar. anybody wants me I’m out ing that Kennedy contract.” wo mornings later Mr. George Simpson of the Simpson Salmon Wear this and save hat, dignity and collect foul balls. attachment, Company opened a letter from George Billings of the Billings Box, B. which rez nd Burlap Company, 1s follows: Gentlemen: It is cause of genuine regret to us to receive a complaint from one of our good always a Extreme care has been taken in our ship ping department to pack all merchandise goi careful customers, carefully to you investigation has failed to disclose any negligence in connection with the shipment referred to in your letter of the 16th. Our policy does not permit us to sacrifice quality at any time and, without wishing to be con- tentious, frankly state that we are devoting all of our and a may we cnergies to the improvement of our product which we candidly helieve to be the best value on the market tod Our paramount in this and every speedil customers’ interests are organization justifiable claim is nd cheerfully adjusted. Very truly yours, THE BILLINGS BOX, BAG AND BURLAP COMPANY, By: George Kensington Bill- ings, President. GKB: AB Dictated but not read. —Artuur L, Lirpmann comicbooks.com