A complete issue · 36 pages · 1918
Judge — March 30, 1918
# Analysis This is the cover of Judge magazine from March 30, 1918, during World War I. The cartoon, titled "American Die-Stuffs For The Germans," depicts a massive artillery shell or bomb surrounded by rows of uniformed soldiers—American troops. A figure in the center operates or directs the weapon. The satire works on multiple levels: it presents American soldiers as "ammunition" or "material" being supplied to Germany (ironically labeled as "die-stuffs"—a pun on industrial dyes), while simultaneously suggesting American military power is the real threat to Germany. The joke critiques either American war production capacity or, more likely, sardonically comments on the scale of American military involvement in the war effort against Germany.
# Analysis This is a **wartime morale advertisement** for *Judge* magazine, likely from World War I (references to soldiers "in France" and war effort). The cartoon shows a figure playing a trumpet while standing over what appears to be a gravestone or troublesome situation, illustrating the headline "stopp enviten trubbul!" (Stop inviting trouble). The text argues Americans shouldn't worry about wartime hardships—the U.S. is better off than other nations, and soldiers remain cheerful and resilient. It positions *Judge* magazine as morale-boosting entertainment, noting librarians at military cantonments voted it the third most popular publication among soldiers. The subscription pitch frames reading *Judge* as patriotic duty: "lending your smiles" to help win the war through good cheer. The tagline "A Giggle a Day Keeps Old Grouch Away" emphasizes humor as wartime medicine.
# "To Madelon" by Kenneth L. Roberts This page reproduces a romantic poem rather than satire. The illustration shows two soldiers in a trench during wartime, with one teaching the other French phrases—specifically "Je vous adore" ("I adore you"). The poem itself appears to reference World War I, mentioning "guns no longer roar" and leaving "fields of France" for "New England's shore." It's a sentimental piece about a soldier's memory of a French woman named Madelon and his longing for her after returning home. "Madelon" likely references the famous French WWI song "La Madelon," which became a cultural touchstone of the war. Roberts's poem transforms this into a personal love story, blending wartime experience with romantic nostalgia.
