Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, March 1922 · page 6 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #31 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **satirical commentary on Cuba and Prohibition**, not a cartoon. The author compares Cuban and American drinking cultures, noting Cuba has more bars but fewer drunk people—a jab at America's failed Prohibition policy (adopted 1920). The humor relies on: 1. **A fictional character, DeGulick McBlue**, depicted as someone who gets drunk easily, used to mock Americans' weakness for moonshine versus Cubans' restraint. 2. **Cuban social customs** presented as absurdly restrictive (public kissing banned, window iron bars for courting), mocking both Cuban prudishness and suggesting Minnesota farmers would struggle with such rules. 3. **Rev. "Golightly" Morrill**, the magazine's traveling correspondent, apparently known for blunt, tactless commentary that offends Cubans—presented as the publication's intentionally provocative persona. The satire targets American hypocrisy: Prohibition hasn't reduced drinking; it's created dangerous moonshine culture while Cuba, less restrictive, maintains better social order.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
4 Captain Billy's Whiz Bang self.” This filosophy applies to Cuba today. I have seen more “saloons” in Havana and fewer intoxicated persons than in any city in the United States, both before and since the adop- tion of the prohibition amendment. The easy manner in which we Americans can get borie-eyed drunk on a few shots of moonshine reminds of the Wag Jag ditty about DeGulick McBlue, psychological stew, Could always get tight on one small shot or two— Far from proving his worldliness, toughness and such. It all went to show that he couldn’t stand much. In Havana it is forbidden by law to kiss your wife on the gang-plank, in a taxi or other pub- lic place. The usual fine for violation is $25. Spooning custom here is quite different, too. In Cuba every residential window is protected by iron bars similar to our jails. It is through these barriers that lovers must cuddle and coo —at least until he becomes so nervous and tired from continual standing that he pops the question. I know it would be rather tough on some of our Minnesota farmhands if the farm- ers should adopt a custom similar to Cuba. * * * THE first thing I learned in Havana was that the Cubans do not like the Whiz Bang’s traveling correspondent, Rev. “Golightly” Morrill. Mr. Morrill’s name is anathema to the average native, due undoubt- edly to the fact that our reverend friend rarely deals out his views of life with kid glove... He