Judge — June 28, 1919

# Analysis This is not a satirical cartoon but rather a **straight advertisement** from the U.S. Department of Labor, likely from the post-World War I era (the text references "came out of the war"). The ad promotes **increased advertising as economic policy**. It argues that advertising spreads optimism and business confidence, encouraging commercial growth during America's post-war industrial expansion. The Department of Labor is essentially endorsing advertising as patriotic business practice that will ensure "permanent prosperity." There is **no satire or political commentary here**—this is government messaging encouraging American businesses to advertise aggressively. By modern standards, it appears to blur the line between public service announcement and pro-business advocacy, treating advertising itself as a form of national economic stimulus.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Cover (June 28, 1919) This illustration titled "The Glorious Fourth—1919" depicts a woman surrounded by bursting fireworks labeled with various concepts: "Prohibition," "Woman Suffrage," "Higher Cost of Living," "Peace," and "Reconstruction." The satire appears to celebrate (or mock) major social changes happening in 1919 America. Prohibition and woman suffrage were both recent victories for reform movements. However, the inclusion of "Higher Cost of Living" alongside celebratory imagery suggests irony—the artist may be critiquing the chaos or unintended consequences of these reforms, particularly post-WWI inflation and social upheaval. The drawing style and the figure's theatrical pose emphasize the explosive, unpredictable nature of rapid social transformation during this turbulent period.

# "The Boarder" by Walter de Maris This cartoon depicts a domestic scene where a man (the boarder) is speaking to a woman seated in a chair. He requests that she stop operating her windmill, claiming it's creating "a frightful draught here." The humor relies on a double meaning: "draught" refers both to an air current and to a drink. The seated woman appears to be the homeowner or landlady, while the man is presumably a paying resident. The satire seems to target either the inconveniences of boarding house life or possibly critiques an overly demanding tenant who complains about minor domestic operations. The windmill visible in the background suggests a rural or semi-rural setting. The cartoon's point appears social commentary on boarding house dynamics and interpersonal friction between residents and landladies.

# Analysis This page contains a humorous article titled "At Last! The Book You Need!" by Dox Herold about the difficulty of getting a photograph taken. The piece satirizes the experience of trying to have one's picture taken for publication—the photographer is uncooperative, claims to be too busy, and keeps refusing the assignment. The top illustration labeled "Posing at the Seashore" depicts four poses: "Exposing," "Reposing," "Opposing," and "Proposing"—a visual joke about different beach behaviors or romantic scenarios. The lower illustration titled "Baby's Nightmare" shows a surreal, humorous image of an infant in an unsettling situation, likely intended as comedic commentary on parenting anxieties or childhood fears. The article's humor relies on relatable frustrations with photography services common to that era.

# "The Man Who Never Grew Up" This cartoon satirizes the opening of new retail establishments that have replaced traditional specialty shops. The author laments that you can no longer buy theater tickets at Murphy's or get them at Madame Trimsisle's or the Manicurist's—instead, these services now appear in unexpected places like drug stores, florists, and paint shops. The illustration shows two bewildered men in a park, apparently searching for a simple item. The satire targets the chaotic modernization of retail, where consumers can no longer find goods and services through straightforward, logical channels. The joke is that shopping has become so disorganized that adults must navigate it like lost children, hence "the man who never grew up"—perpetually confused by contemporary commerce.

# "The Mystery of Femininity" - Judge Magazine This page satirizes the unpredictability of women through rural, working-class male perspectives. The main story by Tom P. Morgan presents a backwoods Arkansas man recounting how a cow ate his hair while he slept—yet he assumed it was his wife getting revenge for an argument. The joke relies on the era's stereotype that women are inherently vengeful and illogical, so even a cow's actions seemed plausibly attributable to a wife's spite. The accompanying cartoons mock male anxieties about women's incomprehensibility: one depicts a timid chauffeur who quit because his boss "got nervous every time the car turned over"; another shows a pedestrian flattering an automobilist by claiming he enjoys the man's company. The overall theme treats women—and by extension, anyone perceived as "other"—as mysterious, unpredictable, and fundamentally unknowable. This reflects early 20th-century gender attitudes dismissing women as illogical or emotionally unstable.

# "The Patriotic Mr. Absent Mind Never Fails to Salute the Flag" This six-panel satirical comic follows an absent-minded businessman through his day. Despite being distracted and preoccupied—dodging storefronts, carrying large packages, protesting labor shortages with a "No Beer = No Work" sign, and narrowly avoiding a construction blast—the character consistently salutes the flag in each scene. The satire appears to mock blind patriotism: the man automatically performs patriotic gestures (flag salutes) regardless of circumstances, while remaining indifferent to or oblivious of practical matters around him. The joke suggests that empty patriotic gestures require no actual engagement or thought, contrasting performative nationalism with genuine civic awareness or responsibility.

# Analysis for Modern Readers This page contains three separate satirical pieces from *Judge* magazine: **"Ring the Curtain Down"** (top): A sentimental story about three actors—a Union soldier, a Southern belle, and an elderly enslaved man—who portrayed these same roles in Civil War theatrical productions. The satire suggests that post-war America is trying to "close the curtain" on Civil War narratives, yet these stock characters (the noble North, the conflicted South, the faithful servant) had become worn theatrical clichés. The story implies these simplified war-story archetypes are exhausted and no longer resonate. **"Did His Best"** (middle): A magistrate's court scene where a man explains his arrest philosophically—the policeman's strength overcame his good intentions. It's light satirical commentary on urban law enforcement. **"Parson Ebony Snow Says"** and other items (right): These are humorous dialect pieces using African American vernacular, typical of the era's casual racial humor in mainstream magazines—representing the prejudiced comedic conventions of early 20th-century American periodicals.

# "She Who Waits" – Early Auto Culture Satire This page satirizes the early automobile era's gender dynamics. The main cartoon depicts a woman confined to the car's back seat while a man changes a flat tire—a common roadside occurrence before reliable tires existed. The satire targets the woman's enforced passivity: she must sit idle in the "chummy part" (back seat) while her husband labors, unable to help or even leave without appearing improper. The text mockingly catalogs what she *could* do (gather flowers, sketch) but *shouldn't* because social convention demands she "bear up" and remain decorously stationary. The children's presence compounds her anxiety—they ask when the car will move again, undermining her composure. When the father finally emerges covered in dirt, he attempts levity to ease the family's frustration, but the mother's forced smile masks her real irritation. This reflects early 1900s gender expectations: women were passengers, not agents, during mechanical crises—trapped by both circumstance and propriety.

# Analysis for Modern Readers **"A Word to the Wise Ones"** satirizes small-town deception disguised as civic pride. A motorist repeatedly gets lost trying to leave Havenhurst despite following directional signs. A local reveals the truth: the town's Board of Trade *deliberately* created a confusing road system to trap passing motorists into stopping and eventually buying property there. Several prominent residents "innocently" became trapped this way themselves. The satire mocks: - Small towns' desperation to retain visitors and revenue - Dishonest business practices masked by friendly hospitality - The irony that con-artists get caught in their own schemes **"The Tight-Wad Mode"** is a brief, separate joke about narrow skirts—likely referencing 1920s fashion trends—suggesting tight clothing will "split fifty-fifty" (tear down the middle). The page also shows illustration examples and appears part of Judge magazine's satirical commentary on American social and commercial practices.

# Analysis of "Just One Dark Thing After Another" This political cartoon satirizes America's post-WWI troubles through interconnected vignettes: **Top scene**: A soldier with a rifle confronts someone about food safety ("Wash your hands before you eat here"), labeled "American Food Depot." **Germany panel**: References the Treaty of Versailles, with Germany saying "I signed"—mocking Germany's forced acceptance of harsh peace terms. **Central figure**: A worried man holds a document about "Under Government Control" and massive U.S. financial losses, representing economic chaos. **Bottom scenes**: Include a figure labeled "The Tempter" and an "American" representative, suggesting internal political corruption and temptation. **Bottom right**: A diagram implying institutional gridlock or bureaucratic entanglement. The final quote about March 4, 1921 likely references Warren G. Harding's inauguration, suggesting hope that a new administration would resolve these mounting crises—food safety issues, war debt, government control, and political dysfunction.