Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, December 1921 · page 38 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #28 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical magazine page mocks Prohibition (the Volstead Act), which had recently been ratified without public awareness. The author criticizes how supporters sneaked it through legislatures before opponents noticed. The satire targets American hypocrisy: while Prohibition was imposed, wealthy citizens evade it by traveling to Europe and Havana via Cunard steamships ("Cunard addicts"), turning Europe into "America's corner saloon." The piece sarcastically invokes President Woodrow Wilson's preference for wine and beer to undermine prohibitionist morality. The unnamed "Gus" appears to predict Prohibition's failure—that speakeasy signs reading "Wines, Liquors and Segars" will soon reappear openly on storefronts. The final unrelated jokes about songs and a stage contortionist's "double life" suggest typical magazine filler, possibly continuing satirical themes about deception and hidden behaviors.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
36 Captain Billy's Whiz Bang into a few legislatures and then they put it through Congress and had it ratified by their legislatures. The majority found out about it when it was too late. All the majority can do now is to defy the Volstead law and vote down the enforcement provisions of it. Some of them are doing this—while others are becoming Cunard addicts and going to Europe and Havana. Europe used to be a continent of kings— now it is only America’s corner saloon. We have never held any particular briefs for Squirrel whisky and other forms of 100 proof “hootch.” But even our former president, Woodrow—what was his name?—Wilson, is strong for wines and beers and we are willing to stack with him on this question, at least. It is going to be a hard job—getting any concessions from the prohibitionists. We believe Gus has the right idea, however, when he says the day of the “bum voyage” to Europe is nearing a close, and that the old familiar sign “Wines, Liquors and Segars” may soon be dusted off and tacked up outside the front door. * * * The Way They Sing It We will now sing that little Nanny-goat song entitled “Mammy.” Also that well known ballad “Just a Japanese Ashcan.” * * * The stage contortionist leads a double life.