A complete issue · 36 pages · 1918
Judge — February 23, 1918
# Analysis of "Foxy" Cartoon (Judge, February 23, 1918) This political cartoon depicts a fox wearing an "Allied" collar, standing over a German military trap (marked "Peace") and a land mine. The satire targets Germany's peace overtures during World War I, portraying them as deceptive traps set by a cunning enemy. The "fox" represents the Allies (particularly America and Britain), shown as clever enough to recognize and avoid Germany's supposed peace negotiations as military deception. The spiked trap and explosive suggest the Allies should distrust German peace proposals as weapons designed to catch them off-guard. Published in early 1918—months before the November armistice—the cartoon reflects American wartime skepticism toward any German diplomatic initiatives, urging continued military vigilance.
# Political/Social Satire Analysis This is an advertisement for Kelly-Springfield Tires disguised as a cartoon joke. Two men greet a woman arriving at what appears to be a tropical hotel or resort (indicated by the palm trees and desk clerk visible in the background). The humor is straightforward product advertising: the host asks if the guest had any travel trouble, and the guest responds that they drove all the way from New York without problems—crediting Kelly-Springfield Tires for the reliable journey. The "joke" is essentially a testimonial claiming the tires' durability and quality. The tropical setting suggests leisure travel, appealing to affluent readers. This represents early automotive advertising that used humor and lifestyle imagery to promote tire brands to a growing car-owning public in the early 20th century.
# Analysis The central cartoon depicts two military officers (appearing to be German, based on the spiked Prussian helmets and uniforms) seated at a table labeled "GERMANY," licking a plate clean. The caption "Between Them Both They Licked the Platter Clean" suggests commentary on German wartime food rationing or scarcity. The surrounding dialogue snippets mock domestic economy during what appears to be WWI—wives bragging about feeding families cheaply, husbands struggling financially. The upper section contrasts a "wise" woman who economizes by husbanding her means. This page satirizes both enemy deprivation and American home-front economic pressures, using the German officers as visual metaphor for national resource depletion during wartime. The humor relies on audiences understanding Germany faced severe food shortages during the war.
