Judge — November 19, 1927 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes the "rumble seat"—a fold-down external passenger seat popular on 1920s automobiles, positioned behind the main cabin. The image depicts a large figure (likely representing a political authority or establishment power) holding a scythe labeled "BOOTLEG" above a car carrying passengers in the rumble seat. The satire critiques Prohibition-era enforcement: the scythe threatens those riding in the rumble seat—symbolizing common citizens or those outside official circles—while suggesting authorities are weaponizing bootlegging laws against vulnerable populations. The vulnerable positioning of rumble seat passengers parallels their precarious legal status during Prohibition, contrasting with those protected inside the main vehicle. The cartoon mocks unequal enforcement during America's alcohol prohibition period.