Life — December 27, 1906 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: "We Draw the Line at Japanese" **The Cartoon:** The top illustration shows Uncle Sam (right, in stars-and-stripes hat) refusing entry to a line of immigrants of various ethnicities—representing "the froth, the cream, the dregs, the scum" mentioned in the accompanying poem. The caption "We Draw the Line at Japanese" indicates this specifically targets Japanese immigration exclusion. **The Point:** The satirical poem "Principle or Prejudice?" critiques American immigration hypocrisy. While America claims to welcome all races and nationalities, it selectively excludes Japanese immigrants despite professing "human rights." The cartoon mocks this contradiction—Uncle Sam welcomes Europeans (Finns, Muscovites, Turks, Spaniards) but rejects Japanese applicants, exposing that American "principles" mask racial prejudice.