Judge, 1927-09-03 · page 35 of 36
Judge — September 3, 1927 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertisement page**, not a political cartoon. It promotes two rival American magazines competing for readers in the 1920s. **The Content:** The page juxtaposes *The American Mercury* and *Judge* magazine, presenting them as the leading publications for intelligent American readership. The Mercury is praised as the "editorial leader of liberal thinking," while Judge markets itself as the only "youthful" magazine—positioning itself against the Mercury's more serious intellectual approach. **The Satire:** The implicit joke is competitive positioning: Judge admits it won't "improve your mind in fifteen minutes" but claims entertainment is "a much worthier art." This is tongue-in-cheek self-deprecation, suggesting Judge is the fun alternative to the Mercury's earnest liberalism. **Context for Modern Readers:** Both were prominent satirical/literary magazines. The Mercury (founded 1924) represented sophisticated, often iconoclastic commentary; Judge represented lighter, mass-market humor. This ad captures a media rivalry reflecting different visions of American culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SPEAKERS OF THE DAY In a remarkably short period of time the American Mercury has become one of the most powerful influences in American letters. It has become the editorial leader of liberal thinking in this country, and the most stimulating maga- zine reviews in America appear each month in its pages. In five years JUDGE has prac- tically doubled its circulation, the number of readers totaling over 224,000 at the present time. JUDGE has become the only “youthful” magazine in the United States, and while it may not “improve your mind in fifteen minutes” it will amuse you, which is a much worthier art. JUDGE PUBLISHING CO., INC., 627 West 43d Street, New York City Please send me the 4 merican Mercury and JupcE for one The American Mercury, 12 issues. $5.00 Judge, 52 issues............... 5.00 Together...... ceesmiecage sumcnsane ol 7.75 Send us the blank and save.... 2.25 year, for which I enclose $7.75.