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Transcript

The Roaring Twenties:

Political Cartoons

$.40

Monday, February 17, 1924

Vol XCIII, No. 311

The Nice Red Apple, 1923

Come unto me, ye opprest!

"The Nice Red Apple" uses imagery to show that radical ideas of Bolshevism coming out of Russia and into the U.S.A offering ideas of Liberalism. Bolshevism is illustrated in this cartoon as a large threatening black snake climbing out of his Russian tree over a fence, that is the U.S.A. Coming about during the time of the "Red Scare", this cartoon is propaganda that means "unwitting victims of Communist propaganda" will be used to weaken the American resistance to Radical ideas.

Cartoon is sardonic.

Analysis:

Swat the Fly, but use Common Sense

In the cartoon, Lady Liberty is depicted as opening up to the oppressed while an anarchist sneaks up behind her ready to destroy her despite the welcome. The anarchist holds a bomb and a knife to play upon the idea of his sinister being, while the Statue of Liberty wears an innocent and unsuspecting look upon her face. The sinister anarchist is also depicted as an immigrant (specifically, a European immigrant) in this cartoon to show the danger of immigration to America.

Cartoon is sardonic.

"The Fly" is meant to be the REDS sitting on Uncle Sam's brow, meanwhile he attempts to sway it with a heavy hammer which is illustrated as the Sedition Legislation passed during WWI. The Country could injure itself with the drastic Sedition Legislation and fears of the Reds are leading to a national overreaction. Obviously, America wants the "Fly" swatted away but believes in a much more thought-through plan of removal.

Cartoon is ironic.

The Only Way to

Handle It

Uncle Sam limits the funnel of European immigration to only three percent being allowed to enter the U.S.A. This cartoon depicted the actions of the Emergency Quota Act of 1921, which are being held in the left hand of Uncle Sam, as the only safe solution to keep America from becoming overwhelmed with European immigrants.

Cartoon is ironic.

Merry Christmas

Mr. Dry, a character created by the illustrator of this cartoon (Rollin Kirby), is saturating Santa with alcohol labeled as prohibition since the laws against alcohol were passed shortly after the holidays. This cartoon is meant to portray the opposed views against prohibition, as well as, the "unrealistic idea that people will stop consuming alcohol even if it was made illegal ."

Cartoon is funny.

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