Judge — January 24, 1931 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Run on the Bank" — In Ancient Times This satirical cartoon depicts a bank run in a prehistoric or mythological setting. Tiny, primitive figures swarm around massive stone structures and vessels, attempting to withdraw their deposits amid chaos and panic. The juxtaposition of ancient civilization with modern banking anxiety creates the humor—suggesting that financial panics are timeless human follies, not unique to contemporary society. The "run on the bank" was a genuine economic crisis where depositors rushed to withdraw funds simultaneously, fearing bank failure. By setting this scenario in "ancient times," Judge magazine satirizes how such panics recur throughout history, implying that financial instability and human panic are eternal patterns rather than modern problems.