The Wasp — 1881 — page 478: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon from *The Wasp* satirizes U.S. foreign policy by depicting two men examining or dissecting what appears to be a globe or anatomical model labeled with geographic regions. The sign overhead reads "U.S. Extractive Dept" (likely "Department"), suggesting this critiques American economic or imperial interests abroad. The two suited figures appear to be government officials or businessmen analyzing territorial or resource extraction opportunities. The anatomical/dissection metaphor implies the U.S. is breaking down foreign lands for exploitation. One figure holds what looks like surgical instruments. Without clearer identification of the specific individuals or visible date, the cartoon likely criticizes late 19th or early 20th-century American imperialism and economic interventionism in foreign territories—a recurring *Wasp* theme during that era.