Judge — June 16, 1928 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes divorce proceedings. A man labeled "GRAFT" sits in what appears to be a judge's chambers, being questioned by two officials. Behind a curtain marked "U.S." peers a figure (likely representing the government or justice system). A portrait on the wall shows what appears to be legal authority figures overseeing the scene. The satire equates "graft" (corruption/bribery) with a spouse, suggesting that corruption has become so embedded in American institutions that grounds exist to "divorce" it from government. The cartoon critiques how corruption persists despite judicial oversight, using marriage dissolution as metaphor for attempts to remove systemic dishonesty from public office. The setting and formal proceedings mock the bureaucratic processes meant to address corruption, implying they're ineffectual.