Judge — March 10, 1928 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts a well-dressed figure in a top hat (representing judicial authority or "the Judge") pointing a revolver at a small figure labeled "U.S." The small figure appears to be fleeing or defending itself with raised hands. The satire critiques judicial overreach or abuse of power against American interests. The title "The First Robbin'" (a pun on "robin"—stealing) suggests the cartoon accuses the judge of robbing or violating U.S. rights or authority. The composition—with the armed authority figure threatening the much smaller, vulnerable U.S. personification—emphasizes the imbalance of power and injustice the cartoonist perceived. Without the publication date visible, the specific historical grievance remains unclear, though it likely references a controversial judicial decision from the Gilded Age or Progressive Era.