Content note: Contains a racial caricature of a Black railway porter, shown as published. This object is shown as it was published. Why
When You Make Your 'Come-Back' After the War...
Two cartoon panels: a returning man hauls a baggage trolley on a dock ('Will you have to take the first job offered?'), then a man sits at ease while a railway porter in a 'CPR' cap attends him ('Or will you take your time - and choice?'). The tell is the contrast of a forced job against a chosen one, with savings as the single remedy (fear appeal); the porter is drawn as a racial caricature.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1939
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Issuer not printed (War Savings Certificates appeal); artist 'Ricky RCAF'
- Region
- North America
- Country
- Canada
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Mackenzie King Government
- Leader
- William Lyon Mackenzie King
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Fundraise
- Themes
- Economy and finance, Home front, Race and ethnicity
- Event
- World War II
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Held by NARA, Unrestricted; Canadian wartime publication (Crown copyright, if any, expired); hosted by owner decision
Issuer not printed (War Savings Certificates appeal); artist 'Ricky RCAF'. National Archives and Records Administration, 44-PF-731.
Text on the object
WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR 'COME-BACK' AFTER THE WAR WILL YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE FIRST JOB OFFERED? OR WILL YOU TAKE YOUR TIME-AND CHOICE? IT TAKES MONEY TO RE-ESTABLISH YOUR-SELF - SECURE YOUR FUTURE BY BUILDING UP A SAVINGS BACKLOG - BY BUYING -- WAR SAVINGS CERTIFICATES [cap:] CPR [signature:] Ricky RCAF
