Life — September 23, 1920 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon by Rollin Kirby titled "Tonis Roguiackers" (or similar - OCR unclear). It depicts a menacing, caricatured figure holding a revolver, representing Russian Bolshevism or communist aggression. The quote below reads: "By persuasion or force, we will spread real Russian happiness in Poland and all over the world." The cartoon sarcastically critiques Soviet threats to expand communist ideology across Europe, particularly into Poland, which had recently gained independence after WWI. The grotesque portrayal of the Russian figure and the emphasis on "force" and "happiness" (ironically presented) conveys Life magazine's anti-Bolshevik stance during the early Cold War tensions of the 1920s-1930s. The weapon emphasizes the threat posed by Soviet expansionism.