Judge, 1929-08-03 · page 2 of 40
Judge — August 3, 1929 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This page is primarily **advertising for bottled carbonated beverages**, using a humorous historical framing device rather than political satire. The cartoon depicts a figure dressed as **Julius Caesar** addressing a crowd in ancient Rome, with the text playing on Shakespeare's famous line "Friends, Romans, countrymen." The joke establishes that Caesar supposedly drank carbonated beverages (implied through the bottle visible in the scene), which gave him eloquence and courage. The advertisement's point is lighthearted: just as carbonated drinks supposedly empowered Caesar, they'll invigorate modern consumers. The "Gift of Eloquence" tagline makes this explicit. This is **commercial advertising using historical humor** rather than political commentary—a common Judge magazine approach blending entertainment with product promotion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SPARKLING MOMENTS in the HISTORY OF BOTTLED CARBONATED BEVERAGES <s ac be v1 { AN hs Se >Mid cries ee .. « Julius Caesar ‘Friends, Romans, and Country Boys,” stuttered Julius, “you are here today ... that is to say I-er-am pleas- ed to be here, ah, er...” The greatest Roman of them all was flopping. He who had faced a thousand foes was plainly scared stiff. The Program Committee was fervently wishing that they had put on the Trained Seal act after all. .- And then Caesar’s wavering hand struck something solid . . . a bottle. In desperation he lifted it to his lips and gurgled a refreshing gulp . . . then another . . . and another. The day was saved. Inspired eloquence poured forth from the throat of the mighty warrior, of “Speech! Speech!” rose and faced the folks And when he had accepted the plau- dits of the multitude, Julius sought his orderly, “Boy,” said he, “fetch me another laurel wreath, this one is a size too small.’ * 2 @ And that, Dear Reader, is how the Gift of Eloquence came to the brave bute bashful J. Caesar. When you're a little older you will read all about it in your history book. “What was in the bottle?” Now, don’t be foolish; why a zippy, sparkling bottled carbonated beverage of course . «. which reminds us to remind you to check your household stock of these delicious drinks. comicbooks.com