Judge, 1934-02 · page 7 of 36
Judge — February 1934 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Alice Through the Liquor Glass" This is a satirical poem by W. W. Scott responding to Prohibition's repeal. The poem uses Alice in Wonderland imagery to mock both the preceding dry era and post-repeal chaos. **The satire targets:** - Prohibition advocates ("Moralists") and their failed logic - Lawyers and politicians debating regulation details while missing the point - The impracticality of complex tax schemes to replace lost alcohol revenues - Drinkers' resistance to government control through secret stills - The absurdity of the entire situation The bottle and Alice-like character appearing in illustrations reference Carroll's work to underscore the "through the looking glass" illogic of alcohol policy from multiple perspectives. The piece mocks everyone involved—regulators, profiteers, and consumers—for participating in what the author sees as fundamentally foolish.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ALIGE, THROUG “Ii licensed bars are far apart And quiet mouse, If credit’s bi drinks upon the hous It's clear.” the Moralist explained “One cannot be a souse. ed and so are all IV “Tf all the ships on all the seas Were bringing brandy here, Do you suppose,” the Lawyer said, “Bad booze would disappear 2” “I'd bar it.” said the Moralist “And favor weaker beer.” Vv “If half the States were wringing wet And hali were wringing dry, While prices of good legal Scotch Were twice ille Do you believe wyer asked, “The bootlegger would die? VI “Oh, Drinkers, come and walk with us,” The Moralist began, “A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk About the Working man, And how we must protect him with The Rockefeller Plan.” ges LIQUOR GLASS i] HE States had voted for repeal, Dry land had turned to Wet, And lawful wine and whiskey made The Anti-tipplers fret, And this was odd, because it was More difficult to get II “The time has come,” the Lawyer said 7 talk of many rules, Of postal laws and swinging doors And distances from schools, Of whiskey ads in magazines, And whether drunks are fools.” VII “Ii every tax on every drop Were multiplied by eight, And extra taxes added by The County and the State, You must perceive,” the Lawyer said, “The revenue'd be great.” VUl “Suppose we do not buy the stuff?” Distracted Drinkers cried, “Our secret stills will surely boil Enough to get us fried.” The Moralist said nothing but “Permission is denied.” IX The Lawyer and the Moralist Went talking right along About the rules to regulate, The right from being wrong, It wasn't odd that as they spoke, The “speaks” were going strong —W.W.S comicbooks.com