Browse Items: 115

Poor Primo, possibly an allusion to 1930s heavyweight champion Primo Carnera, is depicted as losing all his funds to exploiters. Carnera was ranked as the world heavyweight boxing champion 1933-1934. Some sources refer to Carnera’ as a “chattel athlete,” a foreign country bumpkin, exploited for his size and strength by a boxing…

This cartoon depicts the conflicting attitudes on economic policy: protectionism versus free trade. Protectionists argued in support of high tariffs limiting the import of foreign goods into the American market. In the attitude of the artist below protectionists did not stand a chance against giant that was Philippine Trade.

The term “mahout” is used in South/South East Asia to refer to a person who works with or rides elephants. The symbol of the G.O.P is also an elephant. Ron A. Lewis here makes an ironic illustration on the uncertainty of who will be the “head” rider of the Republican party, as in 1940 there was not a strong candidate for the…

It seems the War is in need of some new supplies. Here we see Administrator of the Office of Price Administration Leon Washington staring down the personification of the American public, John Q. Public. Created in 1942 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Office of Price Administration had the authority to regulate the price of nearly all…

Seems like the Republicans are doing a great job mowing over Springfield, Illinois! In preparation for the 1936 election year, the Republican party held a “grassroots” convention in Springfield Illinois to rally the party and raise hopes for the next year. In doing this, they GOP reminded their members of both the greatness of one…

Yo-Ho-Ho and a bottle of...power? This cartoonist is comparing United States senator John L. Lewis with Hitler because both men were against major social reform. Lewis was a strong opponent of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal policies and his hatred for the coddling of the working man is comparable to Hitler’s own, according to this…

In the analogy to the papal election process, the democratic donkey observes the third term talk for FDR. The possibility of FDR being up for a third presidential term was a highly contested issue on the eve of the 1940 presidential election as FDR was not a desirable nominee for many democrats

The general message of this cartoon is on the irony clinging to an American identity. Each of the groups in this cartoon is decorated with feathers signifying their claim to a true native American identity. In this image Suffragettes, Statesmen, Business men, and the Republican and Democratic party all have decorated themselves in Indian…

President Franklin D. Roosevelt is once again dragging out his “political halo” tor the upcoming election year of 1940. Brought out from his “Hope Chest”, this symbolizes FDR’s hope to be elected for a third term. Clearly the artist thinks FDR was being presumptuous in trying for a third term.

While the public clearly wants President Franklin D. Roosevelt to head towards a “peace Aims” Destination, FDR clearly doesn’t want to keep the public in the know. During World War II, the United States was involved with the Lend Lease Bill which provided aid to allied countries. While the Bill displayed a patriotic sentiment, the American public…