Judge — October 28, 1922

# Explanation for Modern Readers This 1922 *Judge* cartoon humorously compares two military publications—the Navy's *Judge* magazine and the Army's forthcoming publication—by having two soldiers debate their merits. The joke centers on rivalry between the services. The Navy representative boasts that their *Judge* contains exotic material: stories from Admiral Uriu of Japan and naval officers' accounts. The Army representative counters that their version will feature West Point cadets ("Whistlers") and claims General Bailey is so enthusiastic he wants to enlist soldiers specifically to publicize their publication. The humor culminates when a General refuses to lend *Judge* to someone going aloft, saying he's using it himself—suggesting the magazine is so valuable (and entertaining) that even high-ranking officers won't share copies. It's essentially inter-service friendly competition presented as boastful salesmanship.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page The top illustration shows two grotesque figures perched on a fence labeled "JUDGE," with jack-o'-lanterns behind them. This appears to be the magazine's masthead or seasonal Halloween artwork rather than political commentary. The main content comprises three separate pieces: "My Error!" (a short story by Helen Rockwell about an awkward social encounter), "Egg View Notes" (brief humorous observations by Leslie Van Every about church singing, street cars, and other daily incidents), and "Stranger in New York" (a dialogue about theater etiquette). These are lighthearted, domestic humor pieces typical of Judge's satirical approach to American social life, rather than political cartoons. The page reflects early 20th-century urban American manners and social conventions.

# Page Analysis: Judge Magazine This page contains two separate pieces of social satire from the 1920s era (based on the "bobbed hair" references and style). **Top cartoon** by Gilbert Wilkinson depicts a young woman trying to convince her boyfriend she's leaving for the day, while her maid overhears. The caption satirizes women's deception regarding their activities—she claims she's visiting a female friend but is actually going elsewhere. **Bottom article** "Sensations of the Newly-bobbed" by Paul Spaulding satirizes the bobbed-hair trend among women. It humorously catalogs unexpected consequences of short hair: being mistaken for men, uncomfortable reactions from strangers, and social friction. The accompanying small cartoon by Kober shows a bobbed woman startling an observer. Both pieces mock 1920s women's changing social roles and appearance, reflecting conservative anxiety about "modern" women.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains two distinct pieces: **"Drawing the Line"** (top): A humorous domestic dialogue where a daughter questions her father's hypocrisy—he objects to her makeup and wants her to go about with a "stark naked" face, yet he himself uses grooming products. The satire mocks Victorian/early 20th-century parental double standards about cosmetics and appearance. **"Hitching Up Misfortune"** (right): A poem by Ted Olson about financial misfortune. The speaker describes losing money on bad investments and stock speculation, attempting to recoup losses through verse published in magazines. It satirizes both the economic precarity of the era and the desperation of amateur writers seeking income. **"Halloween Fancy Work"** (bottom): An illustration of costumed party-goers in theatrical Halloween attire, accompanying the lighter domestic humor above.

# "A Spanking Breeze" This cartoon depicts a woman holding a large checkered parasol/umbrella being blown by wind, her skirts lifted. The title "A Spanking Breeze" is a pun—the wind literally appears to "spank" her by exposing her undergarments. Below are domestic humor jokes about marriage and gender relations. Topics include: wives' dental expenses, taxicab preferences, dancing etiquette, and a reference to Vaudeville theaters. The humor relies on stereotypes about women's spending habits and marital discord. The overall page satirizes early 20th-century social customs and gender dynamics through lighthearted domestic comedy. The cartoon's physical humor was typical of Judge magazine's approach to lampooning contemporary social situations and relationships.

# Analysis of This Judge Magazine Page **Main Cartoon (top):** Frank Verbeck's illustration shows bears—likely Theodore Roosevelt's "Teddy Bears" (a popular toy phenomenon of the early 1900s)—surprising "Grandpa Bear" at a Halloween party. This is a whimsical domestic scene with jack-o'-lanterns, likely playing on the Roosevelt family's cultural prominence and the Teddy Bear craze that swept America after Roosevelt's hunting expeditions. **Text Article:** "A Plea for Forgetfulness" by Gardner Rea is a humorous essay praising the value of forgetfulness in modern life. It argues that constant memory-worship and obsessive recollection of details damages happiness. The author celebrates a friend named Stivers who remembers nothing, and claims his own marriage thrives because he "forgets" his wife's wardrobe repetitions and past arguments. **Bottom Illustration:** "The Fly Outwitted" shows a sequence of a man attempting to swat a fly—a visual punchline to the forgetfulness theme. The satire targets the Edwardian era's cult of memorability and self-improvement while celebrating selective amnesia as superior to exhausting memory-worship.

# Analysis for Modern Readers This is satirical social commentary by Heywood Broun about actors and hunting, using extended metaphor. The piece compares "shooting" or criticizing actors to hunting wild game—arguing both are morally problematic and practically absurd. **The satire:** Broun mocks actors' extreme sensitivity to criticism (they're "easily wounded" but "practically impossible to kill"), their tendency to take umbrage at minor slights, and their general unsuitability as targets for honest critique. He frames criticism as a dangerous sport requiring the "delicacy" of bird-hunting combined with rhino-stopping firepower. **The anecdote:** A personal story about shooting a bean shooter at an elderly neighbor's window to disturb her nervous condition illustrates casual cruelty. The humor relies on the teller's obliviousness to his own nastiness. **The point:** Broun suggests both hunting animals and attacking actors/performers are ethically questionable pursuits that reveal something unflattering about the pursuer.

# "The Unpardonable Sin" — A Judge Magazine Satire This story mocks a star reporter named Millerby at the *Daily Breeze* newspaper. After covering an amateur theatrical production ("The Belle of Society"), Millerby—who constantly boasts of covering major events from the Sepoy Rebellion to World War I—commits an unforgivable journalistic sin: he *tells the truth*. His published review savagely criticizes the performance. He notes the lead actress (Miss Amy Wheatleaf) has a voice "made of metal castings," dismisses the show as unnecessary, and questions why the town needs such public fundraising. The satire targets two things: newspaper vanity (Millerby's exaggerated war-correspondent credentials) and journalistic cowardice (the expectation that critics suppress honest opinions to avoid offending local amateur productions and their backers). By framing honest criticism as "unpardonable," Judge skewers how small-town publications prioritized social harmony over truthful reporting.

# "Spite Corner" - Frank Craven Comedy Review This page reviews a theatrical production called "Spite Corner," presented as the successor to Frank Craven's earlier hit "The First Year." The piece celebrates actress Madge Kennedy's performance as a sympathetic dressmaker character in a small town. The plot involves Kennedy's character using her sewing skills to support herself while resisting the town's "improvement complex"—suggesting resistance to modernization or unwanted social reforms. The accompanying photographs show scenes from the play, including one labeled "Little Elizabeth Dean" keeping poverty at bay "at the point of her needle." The satire appears gentle: it praises Kennedy's ability to win over audiences and make them emotionally invested in her character's struggles against small-town resistance and economic hardship. This reflects early 1920s theater criticism, where earnest, sympathetic working-class female characters were popular dramatic vehicles.

# Theater Criticism in Judge Magazine This page is from George Jean Nathan's theater criticism column in Judge magazine. The header illustration depicts Nathan as a tall figure standing over seated theater critics or managers, suggesting his dominance in theater criticism. The article critiques three theatrical works: Galsworthy's "Loyalties" (a play examining Christian-Jewish social relations), "The Yankee Prince" (a musical by Kalmann with alcohol-themed humor—relevant given Prohibition-era debates), and "Malvaloca" (produced by Actors' Equity Association). Nathan's complaints are witty but technical: he criticizes the editor for inserting jokes into his column space, praises plays for theatrical effect while questioning their depth, and comments on specific productions' colorfulness and casting choices. The satire targets theater managers, producers, and Nathan's critics among theatrical professionals, whom he notes dislike him. The tone is sophisticated insider criticism aimed at Judge's educated readership interested in theater gossip and analysis.

# Explanation for Modern Readers This page from *Judge* magazine contains golf humor—not political satire. It features three pieces celebrating golf as an obsession: **"A Psalm of Golf"** is a humorous poem by WAL Enerson about a man who finally broke 100 strokes after 40 years, treating this modest achievement as life's greatest victory. The joke is the exaggeration of golf's hold on players. **The middle anecdote** describes a comic incident at the Waverley Club (Portland, Oregon) where a hungover golfer's poorly-hit ball startles a snake, causing him to abandon the match entirely—illustrating how golf brings out both comedy and chaos. **"Ballads of a Dub"** is another poem lamenting the speaker's inability to improve his golf game despite best intentions. The cartoon at bottom shows a golfer telling his caddy he needs to finish digging potatoes—a rural farmer interrupting his game for farm work, contrasting working-class labor with leisure-class golfing. The satire targets golf's addictive nature and players' perpetual hope for improvement despite repeated failure.