The Wasp — 1921 — page 30: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a dramatic dialogue scene rather than a political cartoon. Two characters debate assassination as a political tool: **MEL** (Melipoff) - a female assassin who identifies herself by her mother's name, the celebrated violinist Irma Melipoff. She argues that killing oppressive figures like "General Gretcheff" serves the greater good. **GEN** (The General) - her target, who condemns her assassination attempt as cowardly and morally indefensible, regardless of the victim's politics. The satire appears to critique radical anarchist/revolutionary ideology popular in early 20th-century America. The General dismisses her "street-corner patter" about enemies of the state and tyrants, implying such rhetoric masks simple murder. The page suggests The Wasp was satirizing political extremists who justified violence through ideological language.