Judge, 1931-05-30 · page 5 of 36
Judge — May 30, 1931 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page **Top Cartoon ("Summer Retrenchment"):** A car manufacturer (likely Henry Ford or similar) discusses cutting costs during an economic downturn. The joke: to keep profits up while reducing prices, he'll eliminate accessories and standardize models into three tiers—"standard, de luxe and custom"—with minimal price differences. The satire mocks corporate cost-cutting disguised as consumer choice. **Bottom Cartoon:** A man discovers his chimney is clogged, but his wife suggests it's actually "one of my private detectives"—a Depression-era joke about surveillance and marital suspicion, popular in 1930s humor. **"Gangster Activities" Section:** Brief satirical news items about Brooklyn organized crime figures and their activities. The references are to actual gangster operations during Prohibition and its aftermath.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Summer Retrenchment “Gertenates, we're being too gener: ous with the motoring public. If we're to keep out of the red this quarter, we must make some drastic changes.” “How about cutting down on extra equipment, sir?” ‘Exactly what T had in mind. We must eliminate most of the accessories that now are given away with the stand- ard models.” “Yes, sir, but a lot of people want...” Of course they do! Then let then pay for the extras! Here is my ides, gentlemen: We'll have three models this year, standard, de luxe and custom.” Fine!” Great!” It'll make history for us!” “Thank you, gentlemen, Somehow I felt that you would a such a step was necessary.” How about prices, sir?” Well, I figured we'd let the price of the standard model, even without any equipment, stand at 10 cents. The de luxe, for 1 ents, will include stuffed olive and lettuce. And the custom-built creations, ranging from 20 to 25 cents, will come completely equipped, down to 1 slice of dill pickle and half an onion, with mustard or catsup optional at no idditional cost. Now get back to your stands, you guys, and let's make this the —_ * 3 est year the hot-dog industry ever Ir. Smith says no, he don’t want anybody sitting ve : on his mooring mast!” s known! —Cuet Jounsox ig, mast Gangster Activities Treppie Boozint, independent beer- runner of the upper West Side, cupied the seventh floor of the Glattz Bldg. yester when a_ pineapple blew him there. “Noodles” Finnegan, boss of the heauty-shoppe racket of Brooklyn, is planning to give a few independents several free face-lifting treatments in the near future. “Tight” Murfino, mob leader of Brooklyn, has ordered several of his new men to attend the showing of the latest gangster movie at the “Little Topaz Theatre” for one week's in- struction. The Ruben gang of New Jersey report that since the depression set in their business has bumped off more n 30 per cent less than a year ago. ¢ Gratzivigi crowd of Harlem, operators of a chain of breweries, have decided to increase their adver- tising this year. Prohibition agents have been notified to raid their empty Your chimney must be clogged up!!” warchouse on Third Avenue. “Yeah—I guess it’s one of my wife's private detectives!!” —Dana L. Cote 3 comicbooks.com