Judge — April 8, 1922

# Analysis This is not a cartoon page but rather an editorial introduction page from Leslie's Weekly magazine. It features a formal portrait photograph of **Samuel Hopkins Adams**, credited to photographer Paul Thompson. The text announces that Adams, described as a "famous novelist, magazine writer, social investigator and keen observer of American life," will now serve as a contributing editor to Leslie's Weekly, conducting an editorial page under his own signature. The page serves a promotional function—introducing readers to their new editorial voice and establishing his credibility through his existing reputation as a writer and social commentator. This appears to be a straightforward announcement rather than satirical content.

# Judge Magazine, April 8, 1922 This page contains satirical poetry and one large cartoon about Prohibition's social effects. **The poems** mock Prohibition (which began in 1920): "See It?" ridicules the law's appearance while benefiting bootleggers; "The Lesser Evil" and "The Change" critique how Prohibition drove drinking underground and changed social behavior; "How'd You Like It?" sarcastically asks if being named "Butler" is worth the "honor" of Prohibition enforcers. **The main cartoon** shows well-dressed men and women at what appears to be a formal dinner or party, with the caption asking why men leave "between the acts" and return "with breaths"—implying they're sneaking out to drink illegal alcohol during social events. The overall message: Prohibition wasn't stopping drinking; it was merely making it covert and creating a culture of deception among the social elite.

# Analysis This page from *Judge* magazine features a satirical drawing by Rea Irwin depicting "a struggling young lawyer returning home from the office." The grand architectural setting—with its imposing staircase, ornate doors, and classical dome—contrasts ironically with the lawyer's modest circumstances. The three captioned vignettes below mock domestic life and gender relations of the era. "Slush or No Slush" jokes about a wife's complaint regarding street mud on his clothing. "Questing" presents philosophical banter between spouses about impropriety. "Not What She Meant" depicts a wife's exasperated response to a husband's literal interpretation of her cooking instructions about boiled eggs. The satire targets the gap between professional ambition and domestic reality, while poking fun at miscommunication between husbands and wives in early 20th-century marriage.

# Analysis of "Stroke and Bore" by Monte Sohn This Judge magazine page combines a humorous essay about motorists with four small political cartoons at the bottom titled "Exhibit A." **Main Article:** Sohn recounts social gatherings with Bill Ordway, described as a skilled motorist and gasoline mileage expert. The anecdote includes gossip about Columbus, Ohio dealers and concerns about women drivers—specifically referencing a campaign against "half-way Romance" (apparently women driving recklessly). The piece satirizes both automotive culture and contemporary debates about women's driving safety. **Bottom Cartoons ("Exhibit A"):** These appear to depict bureaucratic incompetence, showing an ambitious clerk pursuing "Opportunity relentlessly," becoming overly familiar with procedures, and ultimately being appointed "Commissioner of Streets"—suggesting satire of nepotism or political advancement through persistence rather than merit in public works departments.

# Judge Magazine Page Analysis The top cartoon depicts a woman seated on ornate furniture admiring a large decorative moon, while a man in formal attire stands nearby smoking. The caption reveals their conversation about the "Peckham Smythes" — an apparently scandalous social story. The surrounding text discusses Irish automobiles, women drivers, and automotive accessories. One anecdote mocks a woman who doesn't drive but is "intensely interested in all About It," asking about using the radiator in summer. Another story features a car salesman negotiating with a prospect over a Ford touring car. The satire targets early 20th-century automotive culture, gender assumptions about driving, and social pretension among the wealthy classes. The cartoon likely comments on gossip and societal vanity among the elite.

# Analysis This Judge page satirizes British cultural invasion of America through lecturers. The main cartoon depicts well-dressed men (British lecturers) conversing with an American, mocking how numerous British speakers have become in the United States—so prevalent they're now associated with escaping Britain's "dry spell" (likely Prohibition-related or economic hardship). The three captioned vignettes below use aphorisms to satirize changing American attitudes: one jokes about hip flasks (alcohol), another about solo travel, and the third plays on shifting perceptions of reaching into coat pockets—once a sign of danger, now merely expected drinking behavior. The satire targets both British cultural pretension and American enthusiasm for imported lecturers, while also reflecting Prohibition-era attitudes toward hidden alcohol.

# "Told at the Nineteenth Hole" — Judge Magazine This page collects humorous anecdotes tied to the "nineteenth hole" (the bar at a golf club), a common framing device for Judge's joke compilations. The main cartoon depicts a golfer mid-swing. The accompanying product description, "The Detonator," satirizes forgetful golfers by describing a fake golf-stick attachment that produces loud noise "whether one hits the ball or not; especially loud if one doesn't"—mocking golfers who make poor shots and need audible excuses. The text stories are genteel domestic humor typical of early 20th-century magazines: a child innocently reveals his father kissed a visiting lady, a traveler accidentally eats an invalid's meal, and soldiers/farmers tell jokes about misunderstandings. The humor relies on unexpected twists and mild social embarrassment rather than satire. The "Hard of Hearing" fragment suggests a story about miscommunication—typical of the period's gentle, family-friendly comedy content. No overt political satire is present on this page.

# Explanation for Modern Readers This page satirizes both literary pretension and fashion obsession in early 20th-century America. The text presents a fake "review" of a nonexistent novel called "Double-Breasted Jennings" by Donald Ogden Stewart (a real humorist and playwright). The satire works on multiple levels: it mocks overwrought literary criticism that treats trivial subjects seriously, and ridicules the idea that a child's entire personality could be shaped by a pregnant mother reading theater program fashion columns repeatedly. The absurd premise—that reading "What the Well Dressed Man Will Wear" articles would influence an unborn child—parodies both deterministic psychology and fashion industry self-importance. The cartoon below illustrates the ridiculous plot: a man in a double-breasted suit causes chaos by yelling "Stop thief!" The visual joke reinforces how trivial the novel's central concern (fashionable clothing) truly is, despite the overwrought critical praise above.

# Analysis: O'Neill, Cohan and De Pzchiotrzviskzi This is a theater criticism article by George Jean Nathan reviewing three playwrights. The decorative header shows performers in what appears to be a vaudeville or musical comedy style. **Main Subjects:** - **Eugene O'Neill**: The critic argues O'Neill is producing plays too hastily without proper development. He contrasts O'Neill's weaker recent work ("The First Man") with his better plays ("Beyond the Horizon," "The Emperor Jones"). Nathan uses colorful language—comparing the writing process to drunken composition after cocktails—to suggest O'Neill lacks reflection and maturity in his current output. However, he praises "The Hairy Ape" as more effective theater despite melodramatic elements. - **George M. Cohan**: Mentioned only briefly at the article's end (which continues on another page), described humorously as viewing life "with the eyes of a bootlegger"—likely a Prohibition-era joke about Cohan's lighter, commercial theatrical sensibility versus O'Neill's serious approach. The third playwright mentioned in the title remains unclear from this excerpt.

# "The Blue Kitten" - Judge Magazine Comic This is a comedy sketch from *Judge*, the American satirical magazine, likely from the 1920s based on the art style and references to "dancing" as morally controversial—reflecting Jazz Age debates about modern entertainment. The comic presents interconnected domestic humor scenarios: Uncle Cawthorn teases young Noosey about swallowing gum; a husband complains about his wife flirting in another man's lap; and most prominently, a wife frustrated with her indecisive husband who mocks her dancing. The husband's closing complaint—that she literally stepped on his feet while dancing—delivers the punchline through physical comedy. The satire targets 1920s social anxieties: changing gender roles, modern leisure activities like dancing (condemned by conservative moralists), and marital dynamics where wives increasingly demanded independence and pleasure. The "blue kitten" title likely refers to the romantic/flirtation subplot. The various male characters (conductor, soldiers, servants) populate a world where social hierarchies are disrupted by modern behavior.

# Analysis for Modern Readers This page from *Judge* magazine contains three separate satirical comics addressing early 20th-century social attitudes. **"The Way To-Day"** mocks modern women's casual approach to relationships—a young woman boasts of stealing her boyfriend from her best friend, treating romance as competitive sport rather than commitment. **"Waiting"** satirizes men seeking medical consultation, with the joke that the "long line" consists not of sick patients but "hopeful" men—likely seeking treatments for venereal diseases, a common social anxiety of the era. **"No Leeway"** plays on tension between hunting/outdoor activities and emerging photography culture. A man refuses to hunt with someone carrying a camera, claiming only those of "blameless character" can be trusted with the camera's truth-telling power—perhaps implying hunters engaged in disreputable behavior they didn't want documented. The artwork style and racial dialect in the header quote reflect the period's casual prejudices.