Judge, 1929-02-02 · page 11 of 36
Judge — February 2, 1929 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Perelman's Political Barometer" - Judge Magazine Satire This column by S.J. Perelman mocks the 169th Congress through absurdist humor. The satire compares congressmen to animals—senators literally whinnying during roll-call and needing to be fed sugar and carrots—to suggest lawmakers are incompetent and bestial. The main target is the ongoing "Bison Franchise Resolution," a pointless debate that has dragged on for years. The joke escalates ridiculously: American bisons dress as Indians, dump tea in Boston Harbor (referencing the 1773 Tea Party), demand voting representation, and now threaten to merge their "bloc" with the beaver lobby to cause chaos. The cartoons above show theatrical absurdity—ice skaters and performers—reinforcing that Congress itself is merely entertainment, not serious governance. Perelman ridicules both Congress's ineffectiveness and the era's political squabbles as fundamentally ridiculous theater.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Perelman’s Political Barometer The One Hundred and Sixty- ninth Congress (“the fighting One Hundred and Sixty-ninth, as dubbers have already dubbed it) of the United States met yes: terday in the livery stable’ on Evans. Street. last ‘Tuesday, Ever since Gen howitzers when why our lawgivers have been ata loss to know wher tors Lastfogl advocated ss be called in’ the sion of the that Con- rby divi- Knox Hat Company, claiming that) they had been raised in the school of hard Knox and more of the same. after three hours Maiden, — they roll dsand were penalized by being made to wash the blackboards and clap erasers. Congressman John Garbo then suggested the livery stable and the motion tried. When the session was called to order yesterday confusion — re- sulted when three of the Senators whinnied during roll-call and had to be fed sugar and carrots. Their defense was that they in However, the Tron was ¢ Ariadne refused to explain why she went back to ISSO for her ubly went pony in’ stables. he first bill to be introduced yesterday was the Bison Fran- chise Resolution. This has long been a moot point in Congress and only seems to be growing mooter with time. For the past “DT flash in the pan” skating costume, but they hadn't long to wait for enlightenment. two years American bisons hav: been for the vote “No taxation without representa tion!” been their clamor. Last A st a crowd of enr. 1 bisons dressed as Indians sank a shipload of tea in Boston Harbor while the A. & P. Gypsies played Russian airs on their bs ikas. After the cold collation was served, the minutes of the previous meeting were read, and Mrs. Frank Constantinopolita- nischedudelsachphei sell- schaft, noted female b an exhibition of roon hanging upside down on a clamoring has musie well-tempered elavichord. ‘The bisons feel that after all they are really the first. Americans” and that their ancestors were fore the Hudson ne was conevived. > American Bisons have chain-stitched — a camisole demandii he vote and are sending it to Congress. ‘The bison bloc in the House is con sidering merging with the beaver if this should go through, n bloc would run amok. Both these (Continued on pag ES | ] i comicbooks.com