Judge, 1931-06-20 · page 11 of 36
Judge — June 20, 1931 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Judge Magazine Page Analysis This page contains two distinct pieces of satirical content: **The Woodpecker Absurdist Satire:** The main narrative mocks government inefficiency and Cold War anxiety. A narrator proposes distributing steel bill-points to woodpeckers to reduce their headaches from pecking. Senator Aloysius Flubb rejects this, fearing foreign nations might interpret it as an armament increase violating the "Anwertz Peace Pact" (a fictional reference). The satire targets politicians' paralysis over trivial matters due to international relations paranoia—suggesting Congress is so concerned with appearing non-threatening abroad that it cannot address even absurd domestic problems. **"Songs of Suburbia" Poem:** This light verse by Berton Blakey satirizes the servant/domestic help problem in American suburbs. It humorously catalogs immigrant and ethnic workers (Norwegian, Irish, Croatian, Dutch, etc.) who quit domestic positions despite good wages and working conditions. The repetitive refrain "They come and go forever" mocks suburban employers' frustration with high turnover while implicitly acknowledging their inadequate treatment of staff. Both pieces reflect post-war American anxieties: Cold War paranoia and changing labor dynamics.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
isted at all. They've been extinct from the very beginning, afraid to venture nto existence for fear of headaches. Friends used to argue with ther ahead and exist.” But this did no good. When you try to argue with a nonex- istent’ woodpecker you're only wasting your time, L: week I took this matter up with Senator Aloysius Flubb. 1 stressed the need for pverninent appropriation to distribute steel bill-points among woodpeckers. It was my belief the sharper, more durable beak would enable these birds to accomplish the same work with less ham ing, thus diminishing But Flubb was afraid oncts on woodpeckers would be construed by foreign nations as in increase in our armaments in conflict with Article K in the Awnertz Peace Pact. I later approached a dozen other Congressmen and tried to get this wood- pecker plan through their heads, but wood rckers have little or no effect on the heads of Congressmen. Howesen: Lim still trying, and at pres- ent I'm hoping to organize the In- ternational Society r Distribution of Headache Powders To Woodpeckers. The situation is desperate and some- thing must he done quickly. y I re- ceived a wire from a friend in Tennessee: Please rush those headache powders to Nashville. The stress and strain of ham. mering keeps our woodpeckers so hot and feverish that they've hoiled eggs.” un to lay hard- Songs of Suburbia Nonweens, Irish, Croat AN Dutch, Cullud, German, Before we get them broken in They pack their duds and vanish. d Finn, anish; We try to lighten every task, We aid in their endeavor; But though we pay ‘em what they ask They come aid go forever. \ private suite with private bath Is here for their enjoyment, But soon they're on the gypsy path, Forsaking our employment. We give em Thursdays, Sundays free, They do the washing never; And yet with unanimity They come and go forever. Thus with Suburbia’s houschold aids We meet and then we sever, Only one thing is sure of maids— They come and go forever! —Berton Brarey JUDGE comicbooks.com