Judge — November 28, 1931 — page 13: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is a satirical cartoon titled "Little Known Occupations" by Farbell, depicting the supposedly secret process of "Making Salmon Blush Pink Before Canning." The joke appears to be exposing (or pretending to expose) an absurd behind-the-scenes industrial practice. The cartoon shows workers in what looks like a factory setting with machinery, salmon being processed on an assembly line, and various contraptions. The humor derives from the satirical suggestion that salmon's natural pink color isn't genuine—that it requires artificial, comical human intervention to achieve that appealing color before commercial canning. This mocks both consumer ignorance about food production and food industry practices, suggesting deceptive or ridiculous methods might lurk behind everyday products. The elaborate machinery and multiple workers emphasize the absurdity of the supposed "secret" process.