A complete issue · 36 pages · 1918
Judge — April 6, 1918
# "The Star Boarder" - Judge Magazine, April 6, 1918 This illustration depicts a soldier in military uniform enjoying a hearty meal served by a smiling woman in an apron. The title "The Star Boarder" is a pun referencing both the soldier's uniform star insignia and the old expression for a favored lodger receiving special treatment. The cartoon celebrates American soldiers as honored guests in civilian homes during World War I. The woman's genuine smile and the abundant food (fruit bowl visible) suggest patriotic civilians warmly welcoming servicemen. This reflects 1918 propaganda promoting civilian support for troops—boarding soldiers in homes was common practice. The Star (visible on the wall behind) emphasizes American patriotism. The satire gently mocks civilian enthusiasm for treating military personnel as celebrities deserving exceptional hospitality.
# Analysis This page is primarily a **book advertisement** for "Famous Characters of History," a 16-volume encyclopedia set, rather than political satire. The left side features an engraving labeled "NERO AT THE BURNING OF ROME," depicting the infamous Roman emperor amid destruction and chaos. The accompanying text uses Nero as a cautionary example—comparing his crimes (matricide, fratricide, incendiarism) to warn against "imperialism" and its "slavish followers." This appears to be the ad's moral hook: purchasing this historical encyclopedia provides "lessons for the present" about how great civilizations fall when ruled by monstrous despots. The satirical angle, if present, seems to equate contemporary imperialism with Nero's tyranny, though the primary purpose is selling books.
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page The top cartoon by Alexander Sass depicts a soldier overwhelmed by a towering pile of consumer goods and advertisements, with the caption: "If a Soldier Took Everything That the Advertisements Claim is Absolutely Necessary." The satire targets aggressive wartime advertising directed at soldiers. The cartoon suggests that commercial advertisers were making exaggerated claims about products being "absolutely necessary," creating an impossible burden if a soldier actually believed and purchased everything promoted to him. The two smaller drawings by Orson Lowell below appear to be supplementary illustrations, though their specific content is unclear from this reproduction. The page satirizes how American businesses exploited soldiers' needs through hyperbolic advertising during what appears to be WWI-era, when military service created captive consumer audiences.
