Judge — March 8, 1919

# Analysis This page is primarily **advertising, not political satire**. It promotes a set of five sailor-themed art prints from Judge magazine's Art Print Department. The ad emphasizes nautical appeal ("everybody loves the sailor") and mentions these prints previously appeared as cover illustrations in Judge and "The Happy Medium." Created by notable artists including James Montgomery Flagg and David Robinson, the prints are mounted on heavy mats (11 x 14 inches) suitable for home decoration. The five titles shown are: "Navy Blue," "A Jilt for Jack," "Doing Her Bit," "A Present from Her Sailor Friend," and "Telling It to the Marines." The special offer: five full-color prints for $1.00 (regular price: 25 cents each), ordered via coupon. The ad notes supply is limited. This reflects early 20th-century magazine merchandising practices.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Cover, March 8, 1919 This satirical illustration references **Prohibition**, which was ratified in January 1919 and took effect in 1920. The cartoon depicts "The Bone Dry Co." exhibiting a novelty automobile called "The Water Wagon" at the National Auto Show—a play on the idiom "on the water wagon" (meaning abstinent from alcohol). The caricatured figure appears to be **Uncle Sam**, presenting this vehicle as America's new future under Prohibition. The crowded spectators represent the American public witnessing this enforced sobriety. The satire mocks Prohibition supporters' optimism about the coming alcohol ban, treating mandatory abstinence as something to be publicly celebrated and mechanized like industrial progress. The cartoon captures contemporary skepticism about whether Americans would actually embrace this dramatic lifestyle change.

# "Puppy Love"—A Rejected Short Story This illustration by Agnes MacDonnell depicts a domestic scene with satirical intent. An older man gestures dismissively while addressing a young couple—a boy and girl in an intimate moment. The title "Puppy Love—A Rejected Short Story" suggests this is mocking the rejection of a romantic manuscript or story submission. The satire likely critiques either sentimental Victorian romance fiction (which editors rejected as overly saccharine) or comments on the foolishness of young love itself. The elder's authoritative posture and pointing gesture implies authority—possibly an editor, publisher, or parental figure—dismissing youthful romantic sentiments as unworthy of serious consideration. The cartoon reflects *Judge* magazine's characteristic mockery of literary pretension and romantic idealism.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page **The Cartoon:** The illustration by Will Vartes depicts two skeletal figures at a meager dinner table with the caption "—AND BLESS THOSE WHO ARE WITHOUT THIS ABUNDANCE." **The Satire:** This is social commentary on poverty and inequality. The skeletal diners—appearing to be starving or impoverished—offer a bitter, ironic grace before meals, "blessing" those who have even less food than they do. The dark humor exposes the contrast between the wealthy and destitute, critiquing both poverty conditions and the hypocrisy of thanking God while people suffer from hunger. **Context:** The accompanying article "Great Dogs and Some History" by Benjamin De Casseres appears unrelated to the cartoon, discussing historical dog breeds and mythology rather than the meal-time satire above it.

# Analysis: Island of Dogs This page from *Judge* magazine features an illustrated essay about famous historical dogs, presented as whimsical commentary rather than direct political satire. The cartoon depicts a child observing a bulldog near a fence, illustrating the text's discussion of notable canines throughout history—from Hannibal's war dogs to Charles I's bloodhound to dogs of the Marne (WWI). The essay employs mock-serious tone, treating dogs' historical contributions with exaggerated reverence. It references real historical events (Hannibal's military campaigns, WWI's "Dog of the Marne") while adding fantastical elements like an imaginary "Island of Dogs" populated by heroic canines. The satire targets human tendency to romanticize history by elevating animals to mythic status. Below, brief comedic dialogues about banking and social observations provide typical *Judge* humor—light social commentary rather than pointed political critique.

# Analysis for Modern Readers This page contains humorous essays and jokes typical of early 20th-century *Judge* magazine. The main article "Carpets" by Stuart W. Kistner is satirical commentary on domestic life, using carpet/rug installation as metaphor for social pretension. It mocks how Americans display wealth through "Oriental" rugs (actually made in Connecticut), and humorously describes the profanity-laden ordeal of fathers installing carpets. "His Deliberate Way" is a short joke about a small-town mayor (Hon. Tobe Sagg) resigning after seven terms, claiming he can't endure public criticism—prompting another citizen to note it took him remarkably long to understand what mayors face. The remaining items are brief rural humor pieces: "A False Prophecy" jokes that a woman who loved dolls as a child now owns only a dog; other jokes play on dachshunds, servants, and rustic courtship. The drawings by M.A. Grenier and C.J. Taylor are illustrative cartoons accompanying the text. The humor relies on early 1900s social observations and rural American dialect for comedic effect.

# Analysis for Modern Readers This page from *Judge* magazine contains three separate humorous pieces: **"Why a Brain?" (main article)** is a comedic essay by Frank H. Williams lampooning the human brain's unreliability. It satirizes how the mind refuses to cooperate—wandering to grim thoughts when you want pleasant ones, obsessing during sleep, daydreaming during sermons—concluding that brains are untrustworthy nuisances. The tone is tongue-in-cheek misanthropy about human nature. **"Setting Her Right"** depicts a husband correcting his nagging wife by quoting poetry ("Let joy be unconfined" rather than "jaw"), suggesting wives talk too much—a common period stereotype. **"Talk About Doin' Yer Bit"** references World War I ("American soldiers," "Belgium kid"), with a waiter serving soldiers while holding his hands up in mock surrender ("Kamerad"), implying reluctant patriotic service. The joke conflates serving soldiers with military surrender. The illustrations are cartoonish and exaggerated in period style. The content reflects early 20th-century satire aimed at middle-class anxieties and war-era humor.

# "Musings on the Bath Mat" Analysis This page from Judge magazine features a cartoon and accompanying satirical essay by Dox Herold. The cartoon depicts a domestic scene where a woman in a belted dress enthusiastically asks a military officer to recount "the battle of the Marne again" because "Fido gets so excited"—the dog being the implied audience member of actual interest. The satire mocks how WWI's Battle of the Marne (1914) had become trivialized entertainment fodder, reduced to a parlor anecdote for amusing pets rather than serious historical discourse. The caption suggests the absurdity of treating major military events as casual drawing-room entertainment. The essay below offers miscellaneous social commentary typical of Judge's wit: observations on gender, marriage, art, labor, and modern life. References to "Pathé Weekly" (newsreels), "Bernard Shaw," and "Moving picture horses" ground it in early 20th-century cultural touchstones. The humor derives from deflating pretensions and exposing human contradictions common to satirical magazines of this era.

# "Suicide's a Dead Failure" - Judge Magazine Comic This is a darkly comedic one-reel film scenario by "Chawlie" Dog, a recurring character. The narrative follows a dog attempting suicide through increasingly absurd methods—poisoning, gas, a balloon drop, train tracks, and explosives—each failing spectacularly. The satire targets both melodramatic suicide narratives popular in early cinema and the dog character's incompetence. Each panel presents a different method with the dog's overwrought inner monologues ("Mercury of the dead!" "At last I see visions of the happy land!"), which exaggerates the sentimental tone of serious dramatic films. The joke is that suicide attempts in silent comedies were treated as slapstick—the methods backfire comically rather than tragically. The final panel shows the dog covered in wreckage declaring "NOT ME!"—the ironic punchline that all his efforts have failed. This reflects early 20th-century film comedy conventions where dark subject matter became absurdist humor.

# "Our Common Heritage" Page Analysis This page from *Judge* contains three distinct pieces: **"Our Common Heritage"** is a dialect humor poem mocking the British accent. An American tourist asks a London police officer ("bobby") for a "hardware store," but the officer's working-class Cockney dialect makes communication impossible—he interprets it as "ard wear store" and suggests a clothing shop instead. The joke turns on linguistic misunderstanding between American and British English speakers, suggesting they don't truly share a common language despite both speaking "Shakespeare." **"The Value of Advertising"** is a brief anecdote about small-town revival. An evangelist's harsh sermons comparing the town to "Sodom and Gomorrah" inadvertently attracted visitors seeking excitement—his negative publicity became positive advertising, revitalizing the village economically. The page also contains minor one-liner jokes about railroads, humor, and avoiding speed cops, plus vintage advertisements for cigarettes and cough drops. These reflect early-20th-century American humor and advertising conventions.

# Political Cartoon Analysis This 1920 cartoon from *Judge* satirizes the Republican National Convention's presidential selection. The central image shows a farmer milking a dry cow, captioned "Begosh She's Going Dry"—metaphorically depicting American business exhausted by labor strikes and high costs of working (referenced in the upper panels showing industrial strife). The bottom section presents a choice between two candidates: General Pershing or General Wood, asking voters "Would you like Pershing or Wood you not?" This is a play on words mocking the decision facing Republicans. Left side: "Up a Tree" shows the "Reds" (communists/labor radicals) literally climbing a tree, symbolizing the threat of radicalism the Republicans hoped to address through their candidate selection. The overall message: American business is exhausted by labor unrest and strikes, and Republicans are choosing between two military leaders to restore order.