Judge — February 2, 1924

# Judge Magazine Contest No. 5 (February 1924) This page presents a humor contest rather than editorial satire. The cartoon depicts two men fishing in a rural setting, with the setup line: "Jerry—Life's a lot like fishin'— Jed—_____________________" Readers are invited to submit a clever second line completing Jed's response, with a $25 prize for the cleverest entry. The contest closes February 13, 1924, and winners appear in the March 15 issue. The fishing scene itself carries no obvious political meaning—it's simply a relatable, timeless scenario chosen for its comedic potential. The contest represents Judge's interactive engagement with readers, a common magazine feature of the 1920s era designed to boost reader participation and loyalty.

# Judge Magazine Cartoon Analysis This page from *Judge* magazine features a satirical cartoon titled "Judge" by Gilbert Wilkinson. The sketch depicts what appears to be a crowded street scene with well-dressed figures, including a woman in a hat and coat speaking to others. The caption reads: "Is the new minister very popular with his flock?" / "Oh, yes, he prays to capacity houses every Sunday!" The satire targets a minister whose popularity stems not from spiritual merit but from his ability to fill the church to capacity—suggesting his appeal is superficial or showmanship-based rather than genuinely religious. The joke mocks both the minister's theatrical preaching style and congregants' shallow reasons for attendance, critiquing commercialization of religion and the minister's focus on attendance numbers over authentic faith.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page The top illustration depicts a woman being attacked by four men during a nighttime assault. The accompanying text presents her sharp rebuke to her attackers, lecturing them that as "men and all men are alike," they should treat women with respect. She references "the great American game of poker," suggesting these are ordinary men, not gentlemen. The "Epilogue" poem by Ellery Rand that follows appears to mock romantic relationships, listing playful grievances about dating and courtship rituals (driving a Packard, sinking putts, lacquered hair). The bottom cartoon by Donald McKee shows a crowded art museum scene, with the caption joking that comic pages now belong in art museums—satirizing either the growing cultural status of comics or, conversely, mocking their artistic pretensions.

# "The Story of the Lions Whose Roar Was a Razz" This bedtime story for children satirizes wealthy big-game hunters of the early 20th century. Two aristocratic "dames" who fancy themselves as mighty hunters pursue lions near a hotel in Africa. The joke centers on their pretensions: they spend hours in ambush but rely on water-holes and beaters to do the actual work. When they finally encounter lions at the hotel, the animals prove indifferent to their presence—eating lunch calmly and ignoring the hunters entirely. The satire mocks upper-class women who play at adventure tourism while depending on others' labor, and their delusions of sporting prowess. The "razz" (ridicule) comes from the lions' complete disinterest in these would-be hunters, deflating their grandiose self-image.

# Judge's Rotogravure Section Analysis This page features celebrity gossip and entertainment news from Judge magazine's photo section. The content includes: **"The Sheik Takes a Rest"**: A caricature of Rudolph Valentino, the famous silent film star, posed with his wife at a California resort. The "Sheik" reference alludes to his most famous role in *The Sheik* (1921). **"Miss Timbuktu"**: A beauty pageant winner arriving for international competition, depicted with exaggerated caricature typical of the era's racist imagery. **"Society and the Stage"**: Features theater personalities at Palm Beach. **"The Prince of Wales in Hollywood"**: References instruction in cinematography. The page primarily mocks celebrity culture, beauty standards, and entertainment industry figures through caricature and satire—common Judge magazine fare of this period.

# "Scrambled History" - Paul Revere Meets Lady Godiva This is a humorous illustration imagining a fictional encounter between two famous historical figures from completely different eras and contexts: Paul Revere (American Revolutionary War messenger, famous for his 1775 midnight ride) and Lady Godiva (the legendary medieval noblewoman known from folklore for riding naked through town). The joke appears to be visual/conceptual rather than political—combining two iconic historical figures in an absurd scenario. Revere, shown on horseback on a forest path, encounters what appears to be Lady Godiva approaching on horseback. The "scrambled history" title suggests the series deliberately mixes historical periods for comedic effect. This appears to be lighthearted entertainment rather than political satire, typical of Judge magazine's illustrated humor content.

# Analysis of "Try to Laugh This Off!" This satirical article by John W. Kraft critiques American medicine waste. The piece argues that approximately 90 million Americans receive prescriptions annually, yet only one-fifth of medication is consumed. Patients typically abandon medicine after feeling better within days, leaving 75 million unused bottles worth $230 million sitting in medicine cabinets. Kraft proposes satirical solutions: establishing "medicine exchange bureaus" where recovered patients deposit unused medicine for others to retrieve, or selling partially-used prescriptions through classified ads—comparing this to used automobiles. The humor lies in presenting these absurd proposals deadpan, implying that if America embraces secondhand cars, why not secondhand medicine? The accompanying cartoon (unrelated to the main text) shows a man explaining why he keeps an unwanted dog: "my wife hates him," illustrating stubbornness in domestic situations. The satire targets American consumerism and medical waste during an era predating modern pharmaceutical disposal regulations.

# "Our New God" by James Montgomery Flagg This cartoon satirizes American **Prohibition** (the Volstead Act, which banned alcohol 1920-1933). The central figure is a bloated statue labeled "Prohibition"—the "god" Americans now worship. The satire contrasts American missionary zeal converting "heathens" abroad with hypocrisy at home. Flagg argues that while Americans condemned foreign religions and imposed Christian morality on colonized peoples, they've now created their own false idol: Prohibition itself. The poem criticizes how Prohibition has become a moral crusade that: - Treats alcohol as the root of all sin (like worshiping Mammon) - Corrupts youth by making drinking forbidden fruit - Is enforced by supposedly virtuous congressmen who are actually corrupt - Makes Americans less "men" than the supposedly uncivilized peoples they missionized The two figures flank the statue: one presenting alcohol ("Unless thou comest across"), one refusing it ("Thou shalt not drink")—showing Americans' conflicted relationship with the law. The message: Prohibition is America's new false religion, no better than the "barbaric" gods Americans once mocked.

# Analysis This is a satirical illustration from *Judge* magazine commenting on Prohibition-era hypocrisy. The cartoon depicts a man openly requesting alcohol from his mother while guests (the Joneses) are present—behavior that would have been illegal during Prohibition (1920-1933). The satire targets the widespread disregard for Prohibition laws among the middle and upper classes. Despite the constitutional ban on alcohol, wealthy Americans routinely kept private supplies and served drinks to guests, flouting the law. The casual, matter-of-fact tone of the request—essentially asking his mother to fetch contraband in front of visitors—highlights how normalized this lawbreaking had become in respectable households. The humor relies on the contradiction between public propriety and private rule-breaking that characterized Prohibition society.

This page from John Held Jr.'s "Alphabet of the Younger or more Rising Generation" satirizes 1920s youth culture through two illustrated entries: **"N is for Necking Also for Nut"** shows a flapper and man in an intimate embrace, mocking the era's "necking" (kissing) trend that scandalized older generations. **"J is for Jazz and Nothing Else But"** depicts energetic dancers, satirizing young people's obsession with jazz music and dancing—behaviors considered morally suspect by traditionalists. Held, a prominent 1920s cartoonist, used these entries to both document and gently mock the "Younger Generation's" rebellious departure from Victorian propriety. The exaggerated, lively illustrations capture the era's moral panic about flappers, jazz, and changing sexual mores among American youth.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page critiques avant-garde theater through a satirical review of August Strindberg's "The Spook Sonata," produced by the Provincetown Players. The caricature depicts **Fred Stone** performing in "The Stepping-stones" at the Globe Theater. The author ridicules Strindberg's play as incomprehensible modernist nonsense—deliberately mocking its surreal plot with an absurdist summary (divers, blue mules, Mah Jongg in Ohio). The central argument: small art theaters mistake Strindberg's "genius lunacy" for serious art simply due to his famous name. The author suggests renaming characters to mundane Irish/German names and the play becomes obvious burlesque. By contrast, Sutton Vane's "Outward Bound" (about dead passengers crossing a strange ship) is praised as genuinely innovative yet accessible—the kind of play art theaters *should* produce instead of pretentiously staging incomprehensible European modernism. The satire targets 1920s artistic pretension: little theaters championing difficult European plays not on merit but reputation.