Judge — March 1, 1919

# Analysis This is a **Lucky Strike cigarette advertisement**, not political satire. The page features a man in a cap smoking a cigarette while holding a lighter, alongside a plate of flapjacks (pancakes). The ad's humor relies on a casual association: eating flapjacks, then smoking a Lucky Strike cigarette. The repeated slogan "It's toasted" emphasizes the brand's signature selling point—that Lucky Strike tobacco underwent a toasting process. The phrase "Out door men all prefer the famous Burley Cigarette" suggests marketing to working-class or outdoor laborers. By modern standards, this advertisement is notable primarily for openly promoting cigarettes without health warnings, reflecting early-20th-century advertising norms before tobacco's dangers were widely acknowledged or regulated.

# "The Rising Tide" (Judge, March 1, 1919) This political cartoon by Grant E. Hamilton depicts a drowning scene with labeled vessels sinking in turbulent waters. The image appears to reference post-WWI economic and social upheaval. Visible labels on boats include references to "broken," "loan," and other partially legible text suggesting financial crisis or debt. The churning waters above show distressed conditions, with debris and wreckage scattered about. Given the March 1919 date—immediately following World War I's armistice—this likely satirizes the chaotic economic transition from wartime to peacetime, including war debts, economic instability, or labor unrest that plagued the postwar period. The "rising tide" metaphor suggests catastrophic social/economic forces overwhelming established institutions or financial systems.

# "A Dangerous Landing Place" This satirical cartoon, drawn by F. Foster Lincoln, depicts an early airplane attempting to land among a crowd of fashionably-dressed women. The humor operates on multiple levels: the absurdity of an aircraft descending toward pedestrians in what appears to be a public space, and the implicit commentary on women's fashion and behavior. The "dangerous landing place" likely refers satirically to the women themselves—perhaps mocking their elaborate hats, clothing, or tendency to gather in public spaces. The cartoon may also be commenting on aviation as a novelty spectacle that drew crowds, particularly female spectators fascinated by modern technology. The drawing style and subject matter suggest this dates from aviation's early decades (1910s-1920s), when flying was still exotic and hazardous.

# Analysis of "The Young Man with the Armless Sleeve" This story by Chesterton Todd, illustrated by Wilfred Jones, addresses WWI disabled veterans. The narrative centers on a young man who lost his arm in service and seeks employment at a department store. The satire critiques both employer attitudes and post-war economic realities. Mr. Grimshaw, the store manager, initially dismisses the veteran but then reconsiders, recognizing his patriotic sacrifice and value as an employee. The story ironically explores how businesses were slow to hire disabled veterans despite public gratitude for their service. The central image shows Grimshaw (a portly, satisfied businessman), suggesting the disconnect between wartime rhetoric and actual employment opportunity for wounded soldiers—a significant social issue in 1910s-1920s America following WWI.

# "A Problem in Reconstruction" This cartoon satirizes post-WWI employment challenges. A young man (Trayne) returns from war having lost an arm but seeks his old job back at a counter. His former superior, now promoted to manager under the Swartzee & Company restructuring, refuses him—offering instead a lower position with higher pay. The satire targets the contradiction: despite economic advancement, the ex-serviceman faces demotion. The title "Reconstruction" references post-war readjustment. The joke's bitter edge criticizes how returning disabled veterans were treated—offered money but not respect or comparable positions. The lower cartoon, "Just Hitting the High Spots," appears unrelated, depicting aerial bombardment, possibly commenting on war's destructiveness.

# "A Lost Chance" - Judge Magazine Satire This page contains three separate humorous sketches typical of early 20th-century Judge magazine. **"A Lost Chance"** (main story): A miserly farmer refuses to forgive a produce dealer 25 cents on a $100+ bill. While he argues over this trivial amount, his son grows frustrated, missing the promised theater performance. The ironic punchline: the father was saving that quarter *for* the theater trip—he loses far more value (his son's joy, the outing itself) by being penny-pinching. **"The Home Reveille"** (top illustration): Depicts a domestic dispute over a husband's night out at theaters, with his wife clearly displeased. **Bottom sketches**: Brief comedic vignettes—a photographer's backhanded compliment; train passengers discussing meal costs; and a joke about a fountain pen being unreliable ("No man is a hero to his fountain pen"). The satire targets miserliness and petty arguing over trivial amounts while losing sight of greater goods—a common Gilded Age theme.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains three satirical pieces targeting post-WWI American society: **"The 'Home Again' Parade"** mocks a returning soldier's planned victory march through his hometown. The satire reveals petty grievances the soldier plans to highlight: passing the store owner who doubted him, drilling before the contractor who fired him, parading past Sadie Snipp (who snubbed him for a lieutenant), and marching past Harde Flint (who foreclosed on his mother's home). The joke critiques small-town hypocrisy—these people ignored or mistreated the soldier before his military service; now he'll flaunt his uniform before them. **"His Opinion"** features a returned soldier's blunt assessment of a woman's singing voice, suggesting she "ought to kill at three miles"—dark humor about lethal range, implying her singing is weaponlike. **"Chief Sitting Cloud"** presents a Native American receiving a package from his soldier son in France, joking about "German pale face" scalps. This reflects period attitudes mixing racial stereotypes with WWI commentary. All pieces use returning soldiers to satirize American social pretense and wartime experiences.

# "Extinct" - Prohibition Era Satire This 1919 cartoon satirizes American Prohibition, which began that year. A grotesque donkey—a classical symbol of stubbornness or folly—carries barrels labeled "BEER," "WHISKEY," and bottles of "EXTRA DRY" and "GIN." The sign reads "SOUSERUS EXTINCT A.D. 1919," mocking the idea that drunkenness would disappear. A small man observes this monument to vanished vice. The satire is clear: Judge magazine doubted Prohibition would actually eliminate drinking. The anthropomorphic "drunken beast" monument suggests satirists viewed the law as naive—alcohol consumption wouldn't truly die out despite legal prohibition. The cartoon expresses skepticism about the amendment's effectiveness, a common sentiment among critics of Prohibition.

# Satire Analysis: Judge Magazine Page This page from *Judge* contains three satirical pieces mocking working-class and intellectual subjects: **"Who's Who Among the Proletariat"** parodies society columns by creating mock biographies of ordinary laborers (bootblack, manicurist, street car conductor, lunch counter worker). The humor lies in treating menial jobs with the grandiose tone of wealthy socialite profiles—listing "clubs," achievements, and addresses as if these were notable figures. **"People We Never Expect to Meet"** is a cynical list mocking post-WWI reality: illustrators who read scripts carefully, handsome demobilized soldiers, employers who kept promises to enlisted workers. The satire suggests these things are so rare they're practically mythical. **"His Lack"** ridicules academic knowledge divorced from practical sense—a professor knows astronomical facts but plays terrible horseshoes. This reflects early 20th-century anti-intellectual humor. The cartoons reinforce these themes of class mockery and absurdity, typical of *Judge's* satirical approach to American social pretension and contradictions.

# "The Hero" - Judge Magazine Political Cartoon This six-panel comic strip, drawn by J. Norman Lynd, appears to satirize a military or political figure's journey from battlefield valor to public celebration. The sequence shows: 1-2. Combat scenes with explosions and casualties 3-4. The soldier amid destruction and civilian suffering 5. A triumphant reception with crowds 6. A "Welcome Home Speech" ceremony with masses gathered The satire likely critiques the disconnect between warfare's brutal reality (panels 1-4, showing death and devastation) and the hero's-welcome celebration (panels 5-6). It suggests the public romanticizes military service while ignoring its human cost. The title "The Hero" appears ironic, questioning what actually constitutes heroism—the fighting itself or the political pageantry surrounding it.

# Analysis for Modern Readers This page from *Judge* contains humor pieces reflecting early 20th-century domestic life: **"Looking Ahead"** (poem by Walt Mason): A humorous lament about spring's arrival. While spring seems romantic, the narrator dreads the inevitable spring cleaning—hauling water upstairs, beating rugs, then the house being "disjointed and taken all apart" for renovations. He'll lose his books and treasures in the chaos. The joke is the contrast between spring's poetic promise and the very real, exhausting domestic labor it triggers. This resonates with pre-modern domestic work's physical demands. **Three brief comedic sketches** present marriage/domestic humor: - A newly elected judge admits he can't judge fairly, so tells jurors to believe whoever they want - "The Trouble": A wife complains her husband gets no recognition for housework (unlike soldiers with medals) - "Between Wives": Closing saloons means wives now know where to find their husbands - "Might Do There": A clerk is incompetent—suggested for the book department The illustrations show period dress and domestic scenes. The humor is gentle, reflecting working and middle-class anxieties about labor, marriage, and social change.