Judge — January 3, 1925

# Who's Who in Judge: Don Herold This page profiles cartoonist and writer Don Herold for Judge magazine's "Who's Who" feature. The photograph shows Herold at his desk, wearing glasses and formal attire. The biographical text explains Herold's background (born in Bloomfield, Indiana; Indiana University graduate; studied at Chicago Art Institute) and humorously notes his ambidexterity: an efficiency expert told him his idle left hand was wasteful, so he began writing while drawing with his right hand simultaneously. This earned him the nickname "Two gun Don from Bronxville." The small cartoon below illustrates this dual-handed technique humorously, depicting a figure juggling multiple artistic tasks at once—the central joke being Herold's unusual productivity method that made him notable among Judge's contributors.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page satirizes prominent figures' refusal to reform or change their public behavior, framed around "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." The header "Judge Wants to Know" lists rhetorical questions about why various people won't abandon questionable practices: - Dempsey won't stop boxing - Coolidge won't provide transparency - Hylan won't stop corrupting government machinery - Davies won't stop swearing - Hearst won't stop sensationalism - The KKK won't abandon its organization - Religious figures won't devote themselves to Christianity - Wealthy businessmen won't mind their own affairs The illustrations show a cherub from the old year being replaced by a child wrapped in tattered cloth, suggesting reformers' disappointment that bad behavior persists into the new year. The satire critiques public figures' resistance to moral or civic improvement.

# "By the Time New Year's Comes" This page satirizes post-Christmas household chaos. The main cartoon depicts a father surveying destruction—broken toys, overturned furniture, a damaged Christmas tree with blown electrical fuses—alongside children's gifts that have failed or caused damage (smashed talking doll, broken electric trains, ruined radio). The satire targets both consumer excess and the era's unreliable electrical technology. The accompanying text humorously catalogs holiday disasters: the family must vacate for cleaning, the father contemplates bankruptcy and another mortgage, and everyone agrees "Christmas comes only once a year!" The accompanying short pieces ("Dead men tell no tales," Kelly's gin joke) and "A Posteriori" poem provide additional comic relief, while the bottom cartoon mocks early motion-picture industry pretensions.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page **Top Cartoon - "New Yearing Daughter":** This depicts a wealthy young woman in fashionable attire confronting her father (in top hat) about a suitor named "Mike." She references "Boiled Beau" and "Cer'nly not," then asks why he didn't take a "Czarsha Chinaman"—likely satirizing contemporary anxieties about interracial dating and foreign suitors among the wealthy elite. The joke appears to mock both the daughter's romantic expectations and period prejudices about acceptable courtship. **Bottom Cartoon - "Wife":** Shows a man who has apparently fallen into a ditch or hole. His wife's response—"Well, whadja think this is, a rehearsal?"—suggests he's an actor or performer practicing a comedic fall, making light of his mishap through theatrical reference. Both employ slapstick and social satire typical of Judge's humor.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains New Year's Eve satirical sketches from an early 20th-century American magazine. The main cartoon depicts a large dragon labeled "1922" (or similar year) terrorizing rural and urban figures, symbolizing the year's challenges and misfortunes. **Content includes:** - **"New Year's Eve (In the Country)"** and **(In the City)**: Contrasting how rural versus urban Americans celebrated, with country folk doing simpler activities versus city dweller Harry Henderson's elaborate nightclub revelry. - **"New Year's Card"** and **"Funnybones"**: Humorous greetings and puns. - **"The Haunted Car"** cartoon: A parked vehicle with "NO PARKING" sign, likely satirizing urban parking enforcement or automobile culture anxieties. The humor relies on class contrasts and everyday frustrations recognizable to 1920s readers.

# "The Man Who Swore Off Smoking" This satirical cartoon depicts a man (center, in dark coat) who has apparently pledged to quit smoking, surrounded by crowds of people actively smoking—clouds of smoke billow everywhere. The cartoon's humor lies in the ironic contrast: despite his vow of abstinence, he's completely surrounded by smoking temptation. The piece satirizes the difficulty of maintaining a personal resolution when social pressure and widespread practice work against it. The crowded scene suggests smoking's ubiquity in early 20th-century American society, making individual abstinence nearly impossible or ridiculous to attempt. The isolated figure struggling against the smoking masses represents the futility of willpower against ingrained social norms.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains three pieces of satirical humor typical of early 20th-century American life: **"The Young Idea"** (Sherman Ripley): A poem mocking modern youth and changing social values. It catalogs family members engaged in frivolous activities—butlers checking money, maids driving fast cars, grandmothers smoking at nightclubs and gambling ("rolling bones"). The satire targets society's preoccupation with wealth, speed, and vice replacing traditional family values. **"Serious Chicagoan"**: A brief joke contrasting old wisdom about foundations with modern commercial shortcuts—the skyscraper "built on chewing gum" likely refers to Chicago's rapidly constructed, cheaply-made buildings prioritizing profit over quality. **"Remorse"**: A humorous anecdote about a man who owes a friend fifteen dollars (since Decoration Day) and tries avoiding him. When cornered, Larry dismisses the debt with good humor, wanting only to wish him Happy New Year—satirizing both debt avoidance and masculine honor codes. All reflect turn-of-the-century anxieties about modern morality and commercialism.

# "If They Had Their Way in 1925" This satirical cartoon mocks various 1920s figures and groups by imagining what society would be like if they had complete control. The targets include: - **Charlie Sumner**: Would restrict people to reading only Rover Boy adventure stories - **"Silent Cal"** (Calvin Coolidge, U.S. President): Would eliminate the dictionary and reduce English to one-syllable words - **The Ku Klux Klan**: Would monopolize tar, feathers, and white goods—referencing their use of these materials for lynching and intimidation - **Advertising agencies**: Would blame all social problems on "halitosis" (bad breath) The three "CAR STOP" panels show increasingly chaotic street scenes illustrating societal breakdown under these scenarios. The page also includes unrelated humor sections: anecdotes about naive girlfriends taken to New York landmarks, and observations about everyday sounds and landlord-tenant relations. These are typical filler content for the magazine.

# "The Silent Watchers of the Night" This appears to be a satirical illustration showing multiple apartment windows at night, with various figures visible inside. The title suggests commentary on urban voyeurism or surveillance—people observing each other across the city at night. The windows contain silhouettes and figures engaged in various activities, some appearing suspicious or dramatic in nature. The "silent watchers" likely refers to neighbors observing each other's private lives, or possibly police/authorities monitoring citizens. Without clearer visibility of specific figures or accompanying article text, the exact political/social target remains unclear. However, the composition suggests commentary on either invasion of privacy, urban isolation, or surveillance culture in American city life—themes Judge magazine regularly satirized during the early-to-mid 20th century.

# Explanation for Modern Readers This page from *Judge* magazine contains three separate satirical pieces: **"The Diary of a Dub"** mocks an unsuccessful suitor named Chat Johnson who pursues a woman named Mamie throughout the week, only to be repeatedly rejected—sent away early, shut out, having flowers thrown at him, and kicked downstairs. The joke is that he's a "dub" (a foolish person) who can't take obvious hints to stop. **"Stop, Look and Listen"** offers deadpan observations: a safety warning about street-crossing, a quip that radios exist but produce nothing worth hearing, and a joke about "home-brew" (illegal alcohol during Prohibition) being so potent it could cause global incidents. **"Funnybones"** is a brief pun about a butcher's thumb in the weighing scale—a common joke about dishonest butchers. The top cartoon shows a hobo or poor man amid debris; its caption "Happy New Year, m'dear!" appears to mock desperation. The "Popular Song" reference to "Follow the Swallow" likely alludes to a period song, unclear without more context. Overall, the page emphasizes romantic failure, Prohibition-era humor, and petty urban complaints.

# "A Storehouse Duo" - Judge Magazine This page contains theater criticism by George Jean Nathan satirizing a play called "Artistic Temperament" at Wallack's Theater, produced by Olive Moroseo. Nathan's target is the play's incoherent plot and dialogue—he describes it as a "gabble quartet" where four actors talk for two hours without clear purpose. He mocks producer Thomas Robinson's assumption that scenery, actors, and conversation alone constitute a play. Nathan ridicules the plot's absurd premise: a novelist gathers weekend guests (including historical/literary figures like Uncle Tom, Senator Borah, and author Robert W. Chambers) to mine material from their behavior, leading to nonsensical outcomes. The accompanying cartoons appear to be separate theatrical humor, including a joke about a woman seeking a "strong silent man" receiving the response that she wants "a deaf and dumb ash man"—crude physical-humor comedy typical of the era. The satire targets pretentious theater production lacking substance.