---
title: Soda Springs Discusses "the State of the Nation"
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/berryman-soda-springs-discusses-state-of-the-nation-1946/
description: Cowboys sit and stand outside a post office labelled Rimrock, Ariz., trading remarks in dialect on shortages, cars, beef.
section: Collection
---

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3. Soda Springs Discusses "the State of the Nation"

[![Soda Springs Discusses "the State of the Nation", 1946 US cartoon: Cowboys sit and stand outside a post office labelled](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/berryman-soda-springs-discusses-state-of-the-nation-1946.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/berryman-soda-springs-discusses-state-of-the-nation-1946.jpg)

# Soda Springs Discusses "the State of the Nation"

Cowboys sit and stand outside a post office labelled Rimrock, Ariz., trading remarks in dialect on shortages, cars, beef, the Office of Price Administration, the president and the District of Columbia's lack of a vote. The cartoon uses rural everyman voices to comment on the national mood; the tell is plain-folks, with homespun speakers standing for ordinary opinion.

## Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon

[Plain folks](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/plain-folks/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
POST OFFICE RIMROCK ARIZ.
WONDER WHY TH'PRESIDENT DOESN'T FLY OUT T'ARIZONY 'STEAD O'FLORIDY---OUGHT TER BE RESTFUL FER HIM OUT HERE. NOBODY'S DOIN' ANYTHING!
SHORE, I GOT A NEW AUTTYMOBILE ORDERED----SO HAS EVERY BUCKAROO IN TH'HULL DURN STATE! BUT AH'M HAVIN' THIS SADDLE OVERHAULED JEST T'PLAY SAFE FER A FEW YEARS!
GUESS I JUST DON'T SAVVY THIS POLLYTICAL BIZNESS, IKE-- FER 12 YEARS WE HEARD NOTHIN' BUT BILLIONS---NOW THEY'S FEUDIN' OVER 3 AN' 4 CENTS!
SHORTAGES? WHY, JIM, YOU CITY FELLERS DON'T KNOW NOTHIN' ABOUT 'EM!----ONE MORE YEAR O' PEACE AN' WE WON'T EVEN HAVE CACTUS HYAR!
SPEAKIN' OF SHORTAGES--- IN THE D.C. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A VOTE!
SAY, COTTONWOOD, IF I SLAUGHTERED AN' PACKED SOME OF MY OWN BEEF--WHO'D NAB ME.. TH'O.P.A. OR THEM F.B.I. BOYS?
AT LEAST I'M GONNA HAVE ONE GOOD HAND FER TH' SPRING ROUND-UP.... MY BOY'S GITTIN' OUTA TH'PENTAGON BUILDIN' TH'FIRST O'MARCH!
JIM BERRYMAN (RIMROCK, ARIZ.)
```

[← Ψηφοδέλτιον Βασιλεύς Γεώργιος Β΄ / Αυτό τρέμουν... αυτό ψήφισε ΒΑΣΙΛΕΑ (King George II's ballot: this is what they fear, vote the KING)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/vasilea-avto-tremoun-referendum-poster-1946/) [Untitled (National Park Service ranger bars a housing-seeker from Montezuma Castle) →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/untitled-berryman-krug-housing-montezuma-castle-1946/)

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- ['This log cabin was the first building erected on the North Bend', Whig print by T. Sinclair, 1840](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/harrison-north-bend-log-cabin-sinclair-1840/) (United States · 1840 · Plain folks, Transfer)
- [Treeing Coons (pro-Polk cartoon), 1844](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/treeing-coons-polk-1844/) (United States · 1844 · Name-calling, Plain folks)
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- [The Chappaqua farmer](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/chappaqua-farmer-1872/) (United States · Jul 1872 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)