Judge — March 17, 1928 — page 21: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes **William "Pussyfoot" Johnson**, a famous Prohibition-era activist and temperance crusader. The joke depicts Johnson unknowingly moving into a building that was formerly an illegal speakeasy (underground bar) during Prohibition. The humor lies in the irony: Johnson, known for aggressively campaigning against alcohol consumption and illegal drinking establishments, has inadvertently become a resident of exactly the type of venue he fought against. The cartoon shows the judge's elevated position overseeing the scene, while various figures below appear to represent the speakeasy's illicit activities. "Pussyfoot" was Johnson's actual nickname, derived from his stealthy investigative tactics. The cartoon mocks both his zeal and the absurdity of Prohibition-era contradictions, suggesting that even crusaders cannot escape the pervasiveness of illegal drinking culture in 1920s America.