Judge — January 17, 1931 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Judge Magazine: "In Ancient Times—Negotiating Ye Loan" This cartoon satirizes loan negotiations by presenting them as a medieval/ancient court scene. Armed soldiers with pikes surround a figure seated at a desk (likely representing a lender or judge), while supplicants approach with weapons and armor, seeking to "negotiate" a loan. The satire suggests that in "ancient times," borrowers resorted to intimidation or force to obtain loans—implying that modern loan negotiations similarly involve coercion or aggressive tactics, just dressed in contemporary language. The title "Negotiating Ye Loan" puns on "ye olde" English while mocking the pretense of civilized negotiation masking what amounts to threats. The cartoon likely critiques aggressive lending practices or borrower desperation during Judge's publication period.