The Wasp — 1894 — page 52: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page celebrates Sacramento's Third Regiment's heroic defense against German forces during WWI. The cartoons mock specific figures who mocked the soldiers: **"Col. Barry in Command"** caricatures Colonel Barry, who commanded during a firecracker explosion that killed soldiers. The satire suggests he's now playing war with toys—a mockery of his actual command. **"Coroner Hughes Waiting for Business to Open Up"** depicts Coroner Hughes (appears to be a Sacramento official) profiting from casualties, with a sign advertising his services. This suggests he exploited the disaster commercially. The poems celebrate returning soldiers while ridiculing these officials as cowards and opportunists. The satire is celebratory rather than critical of the military—it attacks those perceived as exploiting soldiers' sacrifice for personal gain or glory.