Search results
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JM-165: The great temperance worker
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Summary
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This cartoon shows personified World War I separating countries from their chains to alcohol. The man with the decree on separation is a representation of Russia, who legalized prohibition from 1914 until 1925. The man to his right, holding a separation for absinthe, is a personified France, which banned the manufacture and sale of absinthe in 1914. The man chained to whiskey seeking freedom is representative of Great Britain, who never ratified any serious form of a national alcohol ban. There are many theories as to why these countries (including the United States from 1920-1933) banned the sale or manufacture of alcohol in some way. The cartoon suggests these bans were caused by what many referred to as the "efficiency campaign," which was depicted as the axe used to separate alcohol from these countries. The efficiency campaign suggested these countries were more productive when its citizens (especially laborers) were sober. After banning the sale of alcohol in Russia, the government proudly announced Russia's increased labor output and better economic standing. The heightened need for resources, and diminished labor force from World War I is thought to have inspired the need for higher economic efficiency in European nations. (Summary created by Mary Delano, MU History Intern, Spring 2018)
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JM-215: Three scenes pertaining to the political barometer in the United States, China, and Russia in 1922
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Summary
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Editorial cartoon depicting political sentiments set in three different countries. In the top panel, centered in the United States, a group of men stand around a political barometer debating why the nomination of Republican, turned progressive, and then again Republican, Albert J. Beveridge for senator occurred. In the middle panel, centered on China, General Wu chases General Chang south while one of the injured warriors lies on the ground and says that Wu is hell. General Wu may refer to General Wu Pei-Fu, who was a warlord in China, mostly in the northern and central regions; he was rumored to be dead by General Chang in the Sacramento Union paper in May 1922. The bottom panel, centering on Russia, shows Uncle Sam sitting next to a representative of the Kerensky Government while Soviet Russia looks on and claims not to be related. Soviet Russia is the period of Russia after the tsar lost power in 1917 and before the creation of the Soviet Union in 1922; the government in this interim period was at first led by Prime Minister Prince Georgy Lvov and Minister of Justice Aleksandr Kerensky, but Lenin returned to Russia in 1917 and began to work on regaining his political supporters, which resulted in Kerensky and Lenin vying for power and support later in the interim period.
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JM-136: Adjusting the Russian treaty difficulty
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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)
