Judge — February 28, 1925

# Who's Who in Judge: Donald McKee This is a biographical profile rather than a political cartoon. It introduces **Donald McKee**, a humor cartoonist and illustrator for *Judge* magazine. According to the text, McKee was born in Indianapolis, moved to San Francisco (where an earthquake prompted his relocation), and had been working in New York for ten years creating "side-splitters" for the humorous weekly. The profile notes he produces so many comic ideas that other artists draw some of the jokes credited to him, and attributes his prolific output to having a large family. The photograph shows McKee at a drafting desk, working on illustrations—a standard professional portrait for such features in early-20th-century magazines.

# "Judge Wants to Know" - Social Satire This page from *Judge* magazine presents absurdist questions about everyday social conventions, using them to mock the contradictions and illogical customs of 1920s American society. The cartoon depicts an office scene where a judge (or authority figure) interrogates people about peculiar social behaviors: Why do women check mirrors constantly? Why wear colored shirts? Why remove hats in elevators? Why do waiters wear tuxedos during daytime? The satire targets the arbitrary, unquestioned rules governing dress, etiquette, and gender behavior. By framing these conventions as bizarre mysteries requiring judicial investigation, the cartoonist highlights how absurd social norms become when examined rationally—a common progressive critique of rigid Victorian-era propriety that persisted into the Jazz Age.

# Explanation for Modern Readers The top cartoon, "When it's 'Orange Blossom' time in Washington," depicts three men playing saxophones while appearing distressed or contorted. "Orange Blossom" appears to be a period slang term or reference (likely related to Washington D.C. social events), and the cartoon satirizes the cacophony and chaos of musicians—possibly representing politicians or government officials—struggling to perform together harmoniously. "The Seasonal Affliction" describes a man in physical distress, likely suffering from spring allergies or hay fever—a relatable medical complaint of the era. The humor derives from the sympathetic yet exaggerated depiction of his suffering. The lower cartoon shows a woman scolding what appears to be a younger person about cleanliness, using period-appropriate class commentary about servant behavior versus fancy presentation.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains two distinct items: 1. **"The Nomsky-Trosk"** - A theatrical parody of Russian tragedy, depicting a domestic murder scene with exaggerated violence. A man is thrown through the air while his wife dies below. The satire mocks overwrought Russian dramatic conventions popular in early 20th-century American theater, treating them as absurdly melodramatic. 2. **"Krazy Kracks"** - A small section defining "Metaphor" using simple language, likely aimed at children. 3. **Lower cartoon** - Labeled "The low down of what Nero was really doing while Rome burned," showing Nero fiddling indoors while the city burns outside—a visual punchline reversing the famous historical phrase to suggest Nero engaged in mundane activities during Rome's destruction. The page primarily satirizes theatrical pretension and classical historical clichés.

# "That Leak in the Cellar: As It Seems to the House Owner" This cartoon uses exaggerated visual metaphor to satirize how homeowners perceive minor household problems. What is actually a simple basement leak becomes, in the anxious owner's imagination, a catastrophic flood requiring elaborate rescue operations. Multiple boats, rescue workers, and construction scaffolding suggest an apocalyptic scenario—all supposedly caused by water seeping from above. The joke mocks the tendency of property owners to catastrophize maintenance issues, imagining worst-case disasters rather than accepting routine repairs. The caption's subtitle emphasizes this is subjective perception ("as it seems"), not reality. The detailed illustration style, credited to R.B. Fuller, contrasts humorous absurdity with serious rendering, amplifying the satire of disproportionate worry.

# Analysis of "Tea and Religion" - Judge Magazine This satirical piece mocks a domestic dispute resolved through marital compromise. The narrator recalls Mrs. Smith's morning reproval about taking tea "straight" without cream—calling it irreligious. Later, when they separate and she insists on dividing equally, he counters that tea and religion "should always be taken straight." The upper cartoon shows chaos erupting when the husband meets "the wife," likely depicting their conflict. The lower cartoon illustrates the marital chaos surrounding their separation dispute. The satire targets Victorian-era domestic hypocrisy: Mrs. Smith weaponizes religious rhetoric to criticize her husband's preferences, yet abandons those same principles when defending her financial interests during their separation. The "Funnybones" caption adds commentary on marital discord.

# Analysis This Judge page satirizes income tax compliance through three cartoons: **Top panels**: Contrast two men filing taxes—one who "favored himself a wee bit" (cheated slightly) appearing relaxed among onlookers, versus one "absolutely scrupulous" who looks anxious and guilty. The joke mocks how dishonest filers often seem unbothered while honest ones stress over scrutiny. **Bottom panel**: A domestic scene where a man pours cold water on a woman's back, claiming legal justification ("Statchoo or no statchoo"—statute or not). This satirizes how people invoke technical legal arguments to justify ethically questionable behavior—similar to tax cheating rationalization. **Overall message**: The satire suggests that Americans rationalize cutting corners on taxes and other obligations through legalistic technicalities, while honest compliance paradoxically invites suspicion and anxiety. It critiques both tax evasion and the anxious consciences of the scrupulous.

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page **"My Son's Set"** (top): A humorous poem by Arthur L. Lippmann celebrating a boy's homemade radio set—constructed cheaply ("parts cost him a dime") but functioning despite being broken, squeaky, and producing static-filled reception. The father's pride in his son's ingenuity is the joke's heart. **"First Aid for Crossword Fans"** (left): Blaine C. Bigler presents intentionally wrong crossword puzzle answers, playing on the era's fad for crossword puzzles. The humor lies in deliberate absurdity: "goulash" for overshoe, "velocipede" for speed, "bazaar" for odd/strange—mixing unrelated definitions to confuse solvers. **"Funnybones"** (center): A one-line domestic gag about financial struggle. **Bottom cartoon**: Two fashionable women discuss a taxidermied animal trophy. The "ultra-modern lady" jokes that she prizes it as "the first husband I ever shot"—dark humor suggesting either divorce or marital discord presented as trophy hunting. All content reflects 1920s preoccupations: radio technology, crossword puzzles, and modern women's independence.

# Analysis This comic satirizes police priorities in early 20th-century urban America. The title "ISN'T IT FUNNY HOW—" sets up an ironic complaint: a man can be chased for blocks, held up, assaulted, and robbed *without a single police officer appearing*. Yet the moment he attempts to park his car, "every cop in town is on the job." The satire targets police ineffectiveness at preventing serious crimes (robbery, assault) while zealously enforcing minor traffic violations. This reflects contemporary frustration with law enforcement's misplaced focus on revenue-generating parking enforcement rather than public safety. The humor lies in the absurd contrast between negligence toward violent crime and aggressive intervention for a parking violation.

# "The Judgment of Paris" - Satirical Travel Story This is a humorous narrative (not a political cartoon) mocking an American tourist named Jenkins visiting Paris. The satire targets American ignorance of European culture and architecture. Jenkins repeatedly misidentifies or trivializes famous Parisian landmarks through crude American comparisons: the Eiffel Tower against the Woolworth Building; the Arc de Triomphe reminds him of Greenwich Village; he mistakes the Café Cliquot liqueur bottle label for a restaurant named after a widow. The joke hinges on Jenkins being chronically drunk—he's hungover from the night before, can't remember where he went, and the narrator gives up, sardonically suggesting he fill Jenkins with alcohol and light it. The accompanying small cartoon, "One Good Turn," shows a Boy Scout who beat up another boy for calling him a "cock-eyed lyre" (likely "liar"), playing on Scout honor codes. The satire mocks both American provincialism and alcoholic tourism clichés.

# "Laughs From" Judge Magazine Page This page collects theatrical jokes and commentary from Broadway shows circa the 1920s. The humor relies on wordplay and contemporary references: **Bobby Clark sketch**: A pun on "B.C." (Before Christ) reinterpreted as "Before Corsets"—joking about women's fashion constraints. **Julius Marz/Carlotta Miles bit**: Plays on the "Marseillaise" (French national anthem) confused with "in the cold, cold ground" (likely a Stephen Foster reference), mocking mangled cultural knowledge. **Moran and Mack**: A racist "logic" joke—the punchline's absurdity is the humor, though the context involves ethnic comedy stereotyping common to the era. **George Jean Nathan's theater review** discusses Paul Gieraldi's "She Had to Know," examining how actress Grace George maintains youthful appeal despite twelve years of marriage, treating "sex appeal" as a theatrical and social performance. The page reflects 1920s entertainment culture: vaudeville-influenced wordplay, Broadway commentary, and era-specific attitudes toward gender and attractiveness.