Judge — December 20, 1930 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This satirical cartoon illustrates the "Christmas tipping problem"—a social issue where tenants of apartment buildings were expected to give monetary gifts to doormen, superintendents, and other service staff during the holidays. The cartoon depicts the Ritzmore Apartments' tenants solving this by creating chaos: a ghost haunting the building, animals running loose (including what appears to be a donkey and a black cat), and general mayhem involving delivery vehicles and household disruption. The satire suggests that rather than pay customary tips, wealthy apartment dwellers deliberately make conditions so unpleasant that service staff quit or flee, eliminating the obligation. It's a commentary on both the burden of the tipping custom and the callousness of the wealthy toward their employees' livelihoods—a perennial social tension that remains relevant today.