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Title: JM-179: There are some Congressmen who don't want the Germans to see we are in earnest
Summary: This cartoon depicts Uncle Sam being held back by by men from fighting with his full strength. Uncle Sam is meant to personify the United States. Uncles Sam’s weak arm represents the feeble military forces available through voluntary enlistment. Uncle Sam’s bulky arm represents the United States’s powerful military capability if it enacted the draft. The group holding back Uncle Sam is representative of congress. The two Germans represent Germany across the Atlantic. This comic is showing the disagreement in the United States of employing conscription during World War I. The United States fought in World War I from 1916 to 1918. The draft was eventually employed on May 18, 1917 until November 11, 1919 through the Selective Service Act of 1917. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-148: Japan objects to the weapon which he himself has never hesitated to use. 148
Summary: This cartoon personifies United States relations with Japan in 1913. Japan is criticizing California for employing Japanese exclusion laws. These laws are most likely a reference to the California Alien Land Law of 1913. This law prohibited "aliens ineligible for citizenship" from owning agricultural land or possessing long-term leases, but permitted short-term leases lasting up to three years. This act was problematic for diplomatic relations with Japan, as it directly discriminated against Japanese citizens. This law also limited the number of Japanese immigrants to come to the US. While this law actually had little tangible backlash on Japanese citizens, it caused a large amount of tension between Japan and the US. Japan is also illustrated wielding the weapon of exclusion laws. In response to California's discrimination laws, Japan threatened to begin creating policies, which would discriminate against Americans. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-188: New members of the club
Summary: This cartoon depicts many issues leading to political discourse during the late 1910s in the United States. The old sources of political discourse such as “prohibition issue”, “he kept us out of war issue”, and “tariff issue” have been displaced by the overgrown and overwhelming new issues. The “prohibition issue” refers to the question of whether alcohol should be a legal substance in the United States. The “he kept us out of war issue” refers to the fact that, despite his promise, the United States entered World War I under President Wilson. The “tariff issue” refers to what goods (if any) should have a tariff placed on them to protect the economic interests of the United States. The new issues overtaking the room were a relatively new source of political conflict. The “league amendments issue” refers to the United States entering the League of Nations. If the United States had joined the League of Nations, it would have to surrender some of its national sovereignty, which made it an unacceptable option to many politicians. The “cost of living” was a relatively new issue in the United States. It refers to the unusually high cost of necessary items, while many worker’s wages remained low by comparison. The “daylight savings issue” refers to the issue of whether the United States should continue to use daylight savings time. The United States had adopted daylight savings time in 1918. Many countries adopted daylight savings during World War I as a way to lower the need to use coal. The transition to daylight savings time had been problematic, and many in the United States thought it should be abandoned. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-132: Fifty years from now
Summary: This cartoon depicts an aged version of Katherine Elkins and Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of Abruzzi. Katherine Elkins was the daughter of Senator Stephen B. Elkins, an influential politician from West Virginia. The Duke of Abruzzi was Commander in Chief of the Italian fleet and fifth in line for the Italian throne. They met through a series of social events in the United States, and their courtship was covered by the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers for over two years. The Duke of Abruzzi needed the permission from the King of Italy to marry. If the couple had married without royal permission, then Ms. Elkins would not have received a royal title or estates and The Duke of Abruzzi would have received reprimand from the crown. When this cartoon was drawn, the Duke and Ms. Elkins were rumored to be engaged, but still waiting for the King’s blessing to wed. Eventually, the King would deny this request and the couple separated around 1912. Katherine Elkins went on to marry Billy Hitt, the son of an Illinois congressman. The Duke Abruzzi led the Italian navy through World War I, and he oversaw the Italian colony of Somalia. The Duke of Abruzzi married as well, and died in 1933. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-158: The President has important business in Massachusetts. 158
Summary: This cartoon shows President Taft racing out of the White House with an ax for his predecessor, Theodore Roosevelt. While President Taft was in office, Theodore Roosevelt continued to remain active in policy. This cartoon was published with article indicating former President Roosevelt sought to protect International Harvester Company, which was in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. There had been a series of letter by Theodore Roosevelt published, which indicated Roosevelt was involved with encouraging the government to not pursue International Harvester Company. President Taft was leaving for Massachusetts to give a speech to denounce the actions of Theodore Roosevelt. President Taft also wished to remind the American people how much he had done to eliminate trusts to protect the American people. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-130: Hello, Is that the coroner?
Summary: This cartoon is an editorial depiction of the fear of war with Japan in later 1910. At the time, the army of Japan was growing, and they were seeking new technology and funding. This was combined with Japan seizing territory around it, such as parts of Korea. These military actions made relations between the United States and Japan more tense, even to the point where California was proposing legislation to limit the rights of Japanese citizens. The Chicago Tribune took a relatively relaxed approach to the situation, asserting relations between the United States and Japan were nowhere near a declaration of war. Journalists came to this conclusion, because the costs of war were too great for both sides. Ultimately, President Taft sought to avoid public fear by seeking to dismantle rumors of war by publicly announcing the United States intention of peace with Japan. This cartoon shows Taft crushing the personified Japanese war scare while on the phone saying "Hello, is that the coroner? Well, say, come up in about 10 minutes. I'll have a nice job for you." (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-136: Adjusting the Russian treaty difficulty
Summary: This cartoon illustrates tense diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States in 1911. The Treaty of 1832 between the United States and Russia was created to give citizens of both countries specific rights such as economic freedoms or freedom of movement, whether they resided in Russia or the United States. Slowly beginning in the 1890s and continuing into the 1900s, Russia was limiting the rights of Jewish citizens from the United States. Eventually these citizens’ United States passports were no longer accepted by the Russian government, which was clearly against the Treaty of 1832 (or the Treaty of Constantinople). Outraged by this breach, Congress issued the Sulzer Resolution, which called for the immediate nullification of the Treaty of 1832 due to Russia’s violation of its contents. The first panel of the cartoon shows the beginning of the political tension between Russia and the United States. Russia was offended by the language of the Sulzer Resolution, stating they never fully violated the treaty. The second panel shows United States resentment of Russia’s discrimination of their citizens. The third panel shows the United States compromising with Russia by changing the wording and nuance of the dispute to appeal to Russia’s sensibilities. During this political tension, President Taft held a strong desire to maintain diplomatic relations with Russia. Despite Taft’s efforts, diplomatic relationships between the United States and Russia remained strained due to a lack of compromise from either side. (Summary created by Mary Delano, History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-151: The President is working on his message. 151
Summary: This cartoon shows President Woodrow Wilson drafting his first States of the Union address to Congress. President Wilson was inaugurated on March 4, 1913, and he was the first president from the democratic party to be elected since Grover Cleveland left the office in 1897. President Wilson’s desk with ideas he wishes to accomplish while in office. Woodrow Wilson was a leader in the Progressive movement, which proposed society could be improved through legislative reform. President Wilson took office shortly before the beginning of World War I on July 28, 1914. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-183: Cartoonical miscellany
Summary: Editorial cartoon depicting three different panels. The top one shows American soldiers fighting against German forces in World War I. The middle panel shows a man sitting in a chair with a horn blast blown by a soldier and the breeze begins to melt the man’s frozen feet. The draft refers to the Selective Service Act of 1917, which forced men to enlist for military service. The bottom panel shows May leaving and June entering; a man sits at a desk writing an oration on "How to settle the war"; a man and a woman get married. June is the month in which two of the three registrations for the Selective Service Act of 1917 occurred. Students and married men also were given lower preference to draft in 1917. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-152: Make the punishment fit the crime. 152
Summary: Editorial cartoon depicting a congressman proposing that an import duty of a thousand percent be levied on Parisian furniture and works of art, using Ex-Senator Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich as a punchline to talk about the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 that was strongly influenced by the Aldrich–Vreeland Act passed in response to the Knickerbocker Crisis of 1907.

Title: JM-129: Will It be Conservative or Progressive?. 129
Summary: This cartoon depicts President Taft creating a message regarding railroad freight rates. In the 1910, a large portion of goods was transported on railroads in the United States. Railroad owners made large profits by charging rates to ship cargo from one location to another. One of the books in the cartoon is titled, “injunction”. This likely refers to the injunction granted by Judge David P. Driver against 25 western railroads located throughout the Midwest to the West Coast, who were all members of the Western Traffic Association. This injunction was granted in Hannibal, Missouri, as a result of an executive order from President Taft. This injunction prevented any of these railroads from raising or adjusting their rates in anyway. The special assistant to the Attorney General, Edwin Grosvenor, presented charges against these railroad companies in St. Louis, Missouri. These charges allegations of price-fixing and conspiracy between these companies to collectively raise rates. President Taft’s administration is known for a hard stance against trusts. Taft's predecessor, President Theodore Roosevelt, began this practice during his own administration. Another project begun during President Roosevelt's administration: the construction and governance of the Panama Canal is also shown in this cartoon. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-135: Busy days for the professional stock trader. 135
Summary: Editorial cartoon depicting a stockbroker trying and failing to predict trends in the stock market.

Title: JM-185: Tag day
Summary: This cartoon depicts two people asking for money. The top panel shows a woman collecting money for the poor and destitute on Tag Day. Tag Day is a day where people will collect money for a charity, and donors will receive a tag showing they donated. The caption for this panel says to remember the children of the poor when being ask the give. The bottom panel shows an officer asking the same man to purchase a liberty loan subscription. These were bonds distributed by the government that were used to support the war effort. In 1917, the United States was a member of the Allied Powers in World War I, which included France, England, Italy, etc. The This panel is captioned, “Don’t forget your own children when you are asked to subscribe for Liberty bonds”. The man is more skeptical of this purchase than of his donation on Tag Day. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-150: Japanese Haggling. 150
Summary: This cartoon depicts a Japanese immigrant attempting to buy property from a white man. As negotiations continue, more Japanese owned stores appear in the background of the the cartoon.Eventually the white man’s disposition shifts from enraged to eager as he finally accepts the offer. This cartoon is offering perspective on the relationship between Japanese immigrants and white Americans in the United States, particularly California. The California Alien Land Law of 1913 was passed the same year this cartoon was created.This law prohibited "aliens ineligible for citizenship" from owning agricultural land or possessing long-term leases, but permitted short-term leases lasting up to three years. This law did not have a large tangible impact on Japanese citizens. However, the law remains relevant, because it reflects the discrimination against Japanese immigrants occuring in the 1910s. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-187: Political
Summary: This cartoon depicts various events during the Wilson administration. The top two panels imply a lack of force of the part of President Wilson. After World War I, President Wilson was an outspoken advocate for peace. One of his proposals to accomplish peace was the League of Nations. The League of Nations was an international body, which sought diplomacy and compromise between nations. The United States would never join the League of Nations, because many felt the League would compromise the sovereignty of the United States. The bottom panel of the cartoon shows a woman worrying about meeting the high standards set before her. In 1920, the United States government passed the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. Women had first found a place in politics by engaging with moral and/or social issues such as education, prohibition, and abolition. By continuing to take a role as protectors of morality women were able to gain enough support to win the right to vote. While the federal government did not allow women to vote in elections until 1920, some states allowed women to vote in state elections. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-138: Well, Gentlemen. 138
Summary: This cartoon depicts Richard Achilles Ballinger, the Secretary of Interior, sweating during a cabinet meeting with President Taft. Ballinger was part of a controversial affair in 1910 that went down in history as either the Pinchot-Ballinger Controversy or the Ballinger Affair. The Ballinger Affair began over an investigation into Clarence Cunningham, who was suspected of illegally transferring land ownership in Alaska to commercial third parties. This investigation began under the Roosevelt administration. Ballinger, the General Land Office Commissioner, eventually concluded the investigation without the approval of his the Secretary of Interior, as he was required. Ballinger left his position for private practice as Cunningham’s personal counsel, but he returned to served as Secretary of Interior under President Taft. Ballinger tried to resolve the allegations against Cunningham, but faced great backlash from other members of the administration, including Chief Forester, Gifford Pinchot. Pinchot, among others, accused Ballinger of negligence and endangering public lands. A committee was formed to determine Ballinger’s guilt. With the exception of one Republican, all the Republicans on the committee ruled in favor of Ballinger, and all the Democrats on the committee ruled against Ballinger. The Ballinger Affair led to mass criticism of the Taft administration.The dispute between Ballinger and United States Forest Service Chief Gifford Pinchot that contributed to the split of the Republican party before the 1912 presidential election. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-131: Well, I think I am going to have a white Christmas. 131
Summary: This cartoon depicts Richard Achilles Ballinger, the Secretary of Interior, acting smug over the whitewashed Republican majority report that declares him guiltless while the Democratic insurgent minority report declares him guilty and unfit. Ballinger was part of a controversial affair in 1910 that went down in history as either the Pinchot-Ballinger Controversy or the Ballinger Affair. The Ballinger Affair began over an investigation into Clarence Cunningham, who was suspected of illegally transferring land ownership in Alaska to commercial third parties. This investigation began under the Roosevelt administration. Ballinger, the General Land Office Commissioner, eventually concluded the investigation without the approval of his the Secretary of Interior, as he was required. Ballinger left his position for private practice as Cunningham’s personal counsel, but he returned to served as Secretary of Interior under President Taft. Ballinger tried to resolve the allegations against Cunningham, but faced great backlash from other members of the administration, including Chief Forester, Gifford Pinchot. Pinchot, among others, accused Ballinger of negligence and endangering public lands. A committee was formed to determine Ballinger’s guilt. With the exception of one Republican, all the Republicans on the committee ruled in favor of Ballinger, and all the Democrats on the committee ruled against Ballinger. The Ballinger Affair led to mass criticism of the Taft administration.The dispute between Ballinger and United States Forest Service Chief Gifford Pinchot that contributed to the split of the Republican party before the 1912 presidential election. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-142: Political methods, old and new. 142
Summary: This cartoon illustrates a comparison between “old” and “new” styles of politics in the United States. The men shown in the left panels represent political bosses who sought to influence elections for their own benefit. The people portrayed on the right panels display a more modern approach to politics. This approach included more open and transparent campaigns, and women were allowed to participate in a limited capacity. The political bosses appear confused at this new way of engaging politics. The “old way” of politics shows the bosses holding primary elections only amongst themselves, buying drinks for other men, and consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. The “new way” of politics shows men and women enjoying parties, banquets, and picnics in a family-friendly environment. The political bosses are shocked and confused to see how politics has changed overtime. The shift in politics occurred as women became more involved with political initiatives such as abolition or prohibition. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

Title: JM-182: The new income tax
Summary: This cartoon depicts a man being irritated with the high income tax rates in the United States. The man suggests the reason for the increased taxes is the fact the the United States is currently fighting in World War I. The man continues to complain about the income tax until he passes a group of soldiers. The man realizes his financial sacrifice is less than that being made by the men serving in the military. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)

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